The rehabilitation of Port Harcourt refinery by the Federal Government is exciting prominent leaders in the Niger Delta region, who hope the project could contribute to the growth of the country and more jobs for youths in Nigeria, particularly the oil rich region. ‘’That is welcome news for the Niger Delta people’’ the regional leaders said in a statement in Port Harcourt on Tuesday. The well-known leaders in the region hailed the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, for engaging host communities appropriately and sourcing about 3,000 workers locally in line with the local content policy. The leaders also commended President Muhammadu Buhari for approving $1.5 million for the project. “We are so excited about the plans of the Federal Government to fix the old refinery so that local refining can resume as soon as possible” the leaders said in a statement signed by the Chairperson of Niger Delta People’s Movement, Mrs. Ibifuro Tatua. ‘’The Niger Delta leaders remain fully committed to supporting the Federal Government and the contractor, Maire Technimont SPA, in the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt refinery’’ the statement said. The leaders praised the Federal Government for the transparent processes and the making of all the process plants hydrocarbon-free to enable the contractor to carry out the rehabilitation work safely. Refurbishing of the technical building, replacement of the fire-fighting and deluge sprinkler systems, refurbishing of 24 offsite tanks, replacement of electrical equipment in the substation, installation of primary earthing integration and new lighting system are some key activities that will be carried out. Pumps, turbines, expander, boilers, compressor fans and blowers, tanks, vessel and drums will also be replaced. Development: South-South leaders applaud Akapbio, Akwa, others South-South leaders on Sunday said the work done so far by the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Chief Godswill Akpabio, deserved to be shown to the world. They also urged South-South governors to learn from the example of the Sole Administrator of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Mr. Efiong Akwa. At a meeting convened in Abuja, the leaders commended Akpabio for the sense of direction and values. They accused some South-South governors of adding to the difficulties of the Niger Delta region. ‘’Some people tend to think they can hold the Niger Delta region to ransom, and lay down conditions for the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) – when to constitute the board, who should be appointed, how many contracts they want and when to pay them or their cronies’’ The leaders underscored the suave style, sound management and extraordinary performance of the NDDC’s sole administrator. Particularly, the prominent South-South leaders accused some governors of the zone of throwing their hate and anger in the public space. They applauded Senator Godswill Akpabio, for bringing to the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs his intelligence, experience and energy. ‘’We shall never be able to make progress by blackmail threats, corruption of the mind of youth, spreading false doctrines and careless talk’’ Chairman of South-South Front (SSF), Chief John Harry in a statement after the meeting said the leaders hailed Akpabio for keeping his word with the people, bringing about conditions for genuine progress and working strenuously for the overall development of the oil rich region. ‘’Chief Godswill Akpabio and the South-South leaders have a joint aim to advance the welfare of the people. They have a vital part to play in the speeding of the region’s development’’ the leaders said. They commended President Muhammadu Buhari for guiding the Niger Delta region steadily forward to progress. The leaders were keen to applaud the attitude of the Ijaw National Leader and Chairman of Pan-Niger Delta Forum, Chief Edwin Clark has shown thus far as well as his support for the NDDC management. The leaders also underscored the hostile intentions of some youths in the region. They scolded Alhaji Abubaka Amaigo Brown, Bedford Benjamin and Lambart Olambo, accusing them of working against the interests of the region. “Chief Godswill Akpabio is a person of great intelligence. He has extraordinary energy, boundless optimism and vision about the possibilities of progress in the Niger Delta region’’
