$16bn EPZ: Itsekiri Youth Leader Pleads With Jonathan Over Groundbreaking Ceremony

BEVERLY HILLS, October 06, (THEWILL) – Itsekiri youth leader and one of the key players in Ugborodo, Warri South-West Local Government Area, Delta State, Chief Ayiri Emami, has appealed to President Goodluck Jonathan to officially inaugurate the $16billion Export Processing Zone, (EPZ), Ogidigben.

Emami said the people of the Niger Delta have long awaited the former groundbreaking of the project which is expected to boost the economy of the region and create employment of her teeming youths.

Emami, who spoke on the heels of the nation's 54th Independence Anniversary in a statement made available to THEWILL on Sunday, said the industrial growth of Nigeria in the area of rail system, privatisation of the power sector, solid agricultural development among others were some of the cardinal points why he was supporting President Jonathan's re-election.

He disclosed that he was campaigning for Jonathan's re-election because, according to him, Jonathan has excelled in the past four years when he fully took over the mantle of leadership.

He said President Jonathan's 54th Independence anniversary speech of hope is also another re-assuring reason why all Nigerians need to back his re-election, expressing hope that the re-election of Jonathan in 2015 will ultimately guarantee the execution of critical infrastructural projects across the country, including the completion of the dredging of the Excravos Bar, which consultancy work has since been approved by the Federal Executive Council, the $16billion EPZ Project at Ogidigben, Excravos, Warri South-West Local Government Area as well as the on-going construction of the long anticipated Koko-Ogeye Road Project.

Emami, who said he had earlier nurtured misgivings about President Jonathan's administration over the role the Presidency played in the battle faced by ex-Niger Delta governors, particularly Chief James Ibori, who is still languishing in jail in the UK, Chief Lucky Igbinedion and Chief Dipreye Alamieyeeseigha, who was later pardoned and resuscitated, said that he now has a better understanding of the success recorded by Jonathan after taking critical look at the efforts made so far.

He added however that the erstwhile poor state of the East-West Road, the ocean surge of the coastal communities in the Niger Delta, occasioned by lack of shore protection, the non-inclusion of Niger Delta people whose communities have the oil and gas deposits in the oil sector, as well as the alleged killing of Itsekiris by the Ijaws during the Warri crisis which culminated into Niger Delta Struggle were some of the reason why he had earlier doubted the sincerity of the Jonathan's administration but he have since reviewed his stance after seeing impressive progress of work on the East-West Road as well as the now better understanding and relative peace between Ijaws and Itsekiris of Delta State.

According to him, the actualisation of the Ogidigben Export Processing Zone, EPZ Project, Nigeria Maritime University, (NMU), the NIMASA Dockyard and Shipyard Project, all in the oil-rich Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State, are superlative reason why Jonathan should be voted back to power.

Apart from creating massive jobs and building the capacity of people of the Niger Delta and its indigenous contractors, these tripod projects like other on-going ones according to Emami being embarked upon in the region by the Jonathan administration, will create allied industries in the country and greatly help to develop the coastal communities.

'It is on record that the rail industry which had hitherto gone comatose in the country is being revitalised and becoming fully functional. The resultant effect is the boosting of commercial activities across the country, while the cost of transportation of goods and services will soon witness downward slide.

'The commissioning of the 1st phase of Benin-Sagamu road amongst other intra and intercity roads embarked upon by the Jonathan administration is another big plus of the current administration.

'The re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015 will not just guarantee the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill, (PIB), but will ensure its full implementation which will ultimately tap into the full potential of our massive gas reserve as well as huge crude oil deposit and subsequently transform the oil and gas bearing communities to modern mega cities,' he said.

He noted that records have showed that the President Jonathan administration, in just four years, has created millions of jobs for the teeming youths through the 'YOU WIN' and Agricultural Programmes, adding that the re-election of the President can only continue to improve on that and tackle the rate of youth unemployment.

'No doubt, the twin bedrock of industrial growth of any nation lies in steady power and solid agricultural development. It is in line with this that the Jonathan administration privatised the country's power sector and has only recently promised to give bailout to the power firms with a view to ensuring improved power supply in the country. A re-election of President Jonathan is the only assurance of growth in the power sector.

'Apart from the renewed vigour in tackling insurgency in the country, the Jonathan administration needs continuity to consolidate on the religious and regional harmony it is currently building,' he said. Another area where Jonathan has performed well is the fight to curtail insurgency.

According to Emami , 'President Jonathan's determined efforts in fighting the insurgency headlong following the killing of innocent Nigerians and the abduction of over 200 Chibok girls for political reasons in the guise of religious struggle is quite pleasing because some of us have been against these senseless killings.'

He noted that Jonathan's re-election in 2015 will continually stabilise the polity and ensure continuous growth in the petroleum sector, adding that the administration has also carefully and faithfully implemented the post- Amnesty Programme for ex-Niger Delta militants.

He however said that since Mr. President has now realised how important the ex-Niger Delta governors are to the political struggle of the region, hence the incorporation of Chief Dipreye Alamieyeseigha and others into the mainstream political activities, 'it is my belief that Chief James Onanefe Ibori would soon return home to carry on the Niger Delta political struggle with the help of our amiable President Goodluck Jonathan.'

Emami also appealed to President Jonathan to prevail on operators of OML 4, 26, 30,34,38,41 and 42 to operate the facilities to internationally recognise standard just like SEPLAT because according to him NPDC which is said to be operating some of the facilities inherited from SPDC had shown incapability in handling the oil facilities.

He also pleaded with the President to fix a definite date for the groundbreaking ceremony of the $16billion Export Processing Zone, (EPZ) Ogidigben, Warri South-West Local Government Area, Delta State, saying the people of the region have long awaited the formal inauguration of the project.