For the Ijaws in Bayelsa and Delta states who do not yet have access through motorable roads linking them, succour would soon come to them as the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) is to partner the two states to construct a link bridge to join them with their kits and kins.
This revelation was made known by the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the NDDC, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, during a civic reception in honour of the Minister of State Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri and four others in Ekeremor Town in the Ekeremor Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
According to the MD/CEO, “We are going to partner with the Bayelsa and Delta State governments to link the two states.“
He commended the people of Ekeremor for honouring their sons and daughters, stressing that the honour would encourage others to put in their best to develop the community.
Dr. Ogbuku also noted that the NDDC would work with Bayelsa State government to construct the Ekeremor Agge axis of the Sagbama Ekeremor road project.
The civic reception was attended by the Bayelsa State Governor Senator Douye Diri, Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, among others.
In his address, the Bayelsa State governor stressed that the time for politicking was over and urged the people, irrespective of political differences, to rally round his administration to accelerate the pace of development.
Senator Diri, who expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for appointing illustrious sons and a daughter of the state into various positions of trust in his administration, also appreciated the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and former governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, for his role in the appointment of Senator Lokpobiri as minister.
He said: “This is not the time for PDP (People’s Democratic Party) or APC (All Progressives Congress). Politics is over. It is time for governance. We do not have party differences in Bayelsa but what we have is the development of our state and Nigeria at large. Let us jettison petty jealousies and join hands to develop our state so that it will grow from strength to strength.
“The persons appointed have what it takes to represent Bayelsa. Under Senator Lokpobiri as Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, we will see a different kind of representation. We need to partner with the NDDC and the Delta State government to build a bridge across both states.
“We need to also partner with the NDDC to take the Ekeremor Road to Agge. We need this road infrastructure for easy movement of our people.”
The governor also assured that the construction work on the Nembe-Brass road in Bayelsa East Senatorial District will continue and said the Federal Government has indicated interest in the project.
“On behalf of the government and people of Bayelsa State, l thank President Bola Tinubu for making these appointments possible. Aside from God and the president, l also thank the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, for contributing to the appointment of Senator Lokpobiri as minister.”
In his remarks, chairman of the occasion, a former Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mr. Matthew Seiyefa, also thanked President Tinubu for the appointment of sons and a daughter of Ekeremor.
Mr Seiyefa, who is also Pro-Chancellor of the state-owned Niger Delta University, said it was heartwarming that Ekeremor alone produced two Senior Advocates of Nigeria that by dint of hardwork and perseverance attained the highest level in the legal profession.
Also delivering his solidarity message, the Pere of Tuomo Kingdom and retired Supreme Court Justice, King Francis Tabai, urged the youths to see the celebrants as source of inspiration by taking their education seriously, saying without education, they would not have been celebrating the successes achieved by Lokpobiri and others.
Responding on behalf of other honourees, Lokpobiri expressed appreciation to the leaders of Ekeremor as well as the state governor for the honour done them.
He said the idea of honouring him despite being an APC member was laudable, noting that what mattered most was the character of the candidate in an election rather than the party he represents.
Lokpobiri equally thanked Wike for being instrumental to his appointment and also expressed gratitude to the Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, and other prominent personalities for gracing the event.
Dignitaries at the well-attended event included Wike, Senator Benson Agadaga (Bayelsa East), Senator Marshal Katung (Kaduna South), and Senator James Manager (formerly Delta South).
Others were Dr. Fred Agbedi representing Sagbama/Ekeremor Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, his Brass/Nembe Federal Constituency counterpart, Mrs. Marie Ebikake, Speaker of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Abraham Ingobere, as well as former President, Nigerian Football Federation and currently member of the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA), Amaju Pinnick, among others.
