NDDC: Saya congratulates Kemebradikumo, wants him to look into Udo/ Ofunama road project – The Liberator
By Binebai Princewill
A Niger Delta based sociocultural group under the aegis of Ajakuramavoice, Comr. Mingo Saya, president general of the organization has congratulated the new Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC on his latest appointment.
While congratulating the new Acting Managing Director of NDDC and the board members, president Mingo had called on the board to urgently commence the expected forensic audit of Udo/Ofunama Egbema road project.
The president of Ajakuramavoice Comr. Mingo F. Saya on his press briefing
on Thursday 20th Feb 2020 at Benin city had commended President Buhari for hearing the cries of the Ijaw people by expanding membership of the board.
He reiterated that the contractor who abandoned Egbema roads should be ordered to return to the site immediately, stressing that the commission should take advantage of the dry season to complete the project.
While, highlighting the importance of the road project, Mingo explained that the Udo/Ofunama road is the only road that will link all the nine (9) autonomous communities in Egbema kingdom, which include Ajakurama, Ofunama, Gbeoba, Abere, Jamagie, II , Ogbinbiri, Ogbudugbudu, Opuama, Abadigbene communities, and the five Ijaw kingdoms in Edo state, they are Okomu kingdom, Furupagha kingdom, Gbaraun kingdom, and Olodiama kingdom, in both Edo and Delta states when completed.
According to him, the 46.5km road was awarded to Japaul & Mines Products Limited in 2011 by the administration of former president Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.
Speaking further, The Comrade had stated that his people are in a perilous situation as they are trapped in the river by water hyacinths in Polobubo/Tskelewu and Opuama , Ogbinbiri , Ogbudugbudu, and Abadigbene communities and the non completion of the only access Udo/Ofonama road project had resulted to untold hardship of his people.
In his words: “The main source of livelihood of the Egbema people is farming and a farmer , fishermen, timber dealers without any access road, is terrific, and terrible”.It would be recalled that Egbema kingdom in Warri South North Local Government Area of Delta State and Ovia South West Local Government Area of Edo State is host to several oil facilities and companies,
Some of such facilities include: “Dibi Oil Field, Alero Oil Field, operated by multinational oil giants, CHEVRON. “The Kingdom is also host to Opu-ekeba and Opuama flow stations operated by the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company, NPDC and many other facilities.”
It would be recalled that Egbema kingdom in Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State is the third richest oil producing Ijaw kingdom in Delta State.
Comr. Mingo had revealed that in spite of the rich economic viability of Egbema kingdom, the people are yet to have any commensurable benefit from NDDC and other related agencies in the Niger Delta region. He had noted that the NDDC must critically look into the Udo/Ofunama road project and quickly swing into action by ensuring that the road is completed for the benefit of mankind,
