The managing director of the NLNG, Tony Attah, who lead the large team to pay the historic homage said; “It is 20 years of happy partnership with the Bonny kingdom. This is a homecoming of most MDS and Deputy MDS. Its 30 years dream of harnessing gas, monetizing it, and reducing gas flaring.
Many people played different roles in this struggle and Gen Yakubu Gowon explained his own role of 1974 yesterday (Friday, October 11, 2019) in one of anniversary events in Abuja.
“It is about 1989 when the NLNG was incorporated and 1999 when the first gas cargo was exported from Bonny. Another 30 years starts now and here in this palace.”
Successes of first 30 years
We recorded many successes in our partnership with the Bonny people. The Bonny Utility Company was set up to give power to the Bonny Island which has ensured 95 per cent power supply stability in the kingdom; the only place in Nigeria with such record..
“Bonny Vocational Centre has pursued youth empowerment with huge success. Scholarships have been awarded to the kingdom.”
Next 30 years:
The next 30 years will even see more successes between us. The Bonny-dubai Scheme is the highest project we are pursuing. The MOU for it has been signed some years back. We would appreciate support to the BKDF) Bonny Development Foundation to take off immediately.
“N3BN has been set aside for each year for 25 years for the development of Bonny. Bonny-bodo Road is part of this scheme and it will be a land link to Port Harcourt, the state capital. It is a historic development because it would be the first time that a road is entering Bonny.
About 10km is already done. The issue of compensation that has stagnated the project is over following the intervention of the Bonny King. As soon as the rains are over, Julius Berger will resume work.
“Bonny Health Insurance Scheme is about to start. So far, 600 persons have registered in the upcoming scheme. It is a gamechanger. It should work in Bonny because it has been tested elsewhere.
“War against Malaria: We did a survey and found that the most prevalent illness to people around here is malaria. So, while we execute the health insurance scheme, we have also launched a research work on prevention of malaria as a component of the health scheme.
“Communication: We are establishing a radio station and a Wifi system in the city so that the king can easily communicate with his people on the island. It will promote education and interaction. Tremendous progress has been done on this.
“Bonny Consulate Building: This building does not exist anymore. So, a tourism consultant is doing a research on this. Part of the project is to rebuild the Consulate Building. The foundation stone is to be laid right after here. It was the city centre in the past and it defined the city. It has good and bad history. For instance, the British Consul in Bonny was recalled and he demanded that the king that time should pay for the building. The king could not understand such logic, to pay for a building in his land? The British leader said he would have to demolish it, if nobody was ready to pay for it. He went ahead to demolish it.
“We are going to build a modern version to replace the old one, but we would capture the old on a gigantic painting and hang it at the hall for everybody to see both the old and the new.
“Train-7: It’s the beginning of the next 30 years. We were number four but now number seven due to the delay in building Train-7. If we do nothing, we will slip to number 10.
“Poverty: We expect not less than 10,000 jobs out of the construction of Train-7. It will reduce poverty on the island. We are considering fallouts such as where the workers will stay during the period. We learnt that in the construction stage, people stayed in schools and churches, such that in the morning, children will wait for workers to leave for school to start. We are asking, how will Bonny receive the 10,000 workers this time? We will do something about it, this time; something creative.
Train 7 is a big deal for our survival and for the partnership with the Bonny Kingdom. We started with an ambition of trains one and two but we are now on seven. We may go to eight, nine and 10. We thus see a solid partnership for the next 20 years.”
Source: Businessdayng
