CUPS OPINION – ON BUHARI AND NIGER DELTA DEVELOPMENT.
There is no doubt about it that his Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, is doing everything within his powers as the head of state to fix the lingering problems bedevilling the South-East and South-South, which are never of his making.
Yesterday, we read the good news that the Honourable Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, finally signed contract with China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC) to commence construction of the Lagos-Calabar coastal railway line at a cost of $11.117billion. The contract was initially valued at $11.917billion. Nigeria saved $800 million following a renegotiation.
The Lagos-Calabar rail link will connect 12 states of the South-West, South-East and South-South regions as follows: Calabar – (Cross Rivers), Uyo – (Akwa Ibom), Aba – (Abia), Port Harcourt (Rivers), Yenagoa – (Bayelsa), Otuoke – (Bayelsa), Ughelli – (Delta), Warri – (Delta), Sapele – (Delta), Benin – (Edo), Ore – (Ondo), Ijebu/Ode – (Ogun), Lagos – (Lagos).
This multi-billion dollar project will create jobs for hundreds of thousands of indigenous population in these states. Furthermore, when fully implemented, it will increase transport of goods and raw materials, rejuvenate commerce, enhance mass mobility, thus significantly boosting the economy of the whole southern part of Nigeria.
Before yesterday’s historic contract was signed, it can also be recalled that on Thursday, 2nd June 2016, his Excellency the VP, Professor Osinbajo, launched an unprecedented N300 billion project to clean-up the entire Niger Delta region. It is on record that the former President, Goodluck Eebele Jonathan, refused to clean-up the region, despite enjoying the best oil revenue of any Nigerian president, and despite himself being born and bred in the region.
While the criminal gangsters and mentally retarded Niger Delta Avengers and their treacherous spineless political sponsors are busy destroying their ancestral land for political expediency, President Buhari is also determined to clean-up the region, and develop it to its full potential for the benefit of its people.
Besides environmental clean-up and putting in place infrastructural development, his Excellency is also adamant on keeping dialogue with the Niger Delta people and its leaders. This photo of the week shows his Excellency in a private discussion with HRM King Alfred Diete Spiff, Amanyanabo of Twon Brass, Bayelsa State. The King led the Niger Delta Dialogue and Contact Group to Statehouse on 30th June 2016.
Despite recent provocations that cost the Nigerian state billions of Naira, and regardless of what enemies of the Nigerian state from the South-East and South-South say or do, Buhari’s economic and diplomatic vision for the two regions will continue unabated. We at CUPS like given credit where it is due. History will judge Buhari favourably.
May God save Nigeria and Nigerians. Amen.
Whitneyibe
