President Buhari Warn Bayelsa Communities Against Vandalisation Of FG Projects

President Muhammadu Buhari has warned communities in Bayelsa State against rising cases of vandalisation of projects cited in their areas, warning that failure to protect Federal Government projects may attract sanctions including a stop to further project initiative.

President Muhammadu Buhari , represented Monday by the Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, at the commissioning and handing over of shoreline protection and land reclamation projects built by the Ecological Fund office of the Federal Government for the Aleibiri community in the Ekeremor local government area of the state, warned that henceforth, such communities indicted for project vandalisation would not benefit from new projects from the Federal Government if they continue to vandalize or fail to take proper care of projects cited in their communities.

Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, however assured that communities that protect and take ownership of Federal Government projects cited in their communities will surely continue to attract more Government patronage of development projects.

Senator Lokpobiri, who had earlier expressed concern over the dastardly act in which projects are completed and commissioned, after a few months, such projects are usually vandalized by the same people for which the projects were executed to benefit, said “I have advised the beneficiaries of the projects we have commissioned today to own these projects, take these projects as their own and if we hear that these projects are being vandalize, government will be very hesitant to provide more infrastructures for them again.”

The Minister also described coastal erosion as a major challenge affecting all the communities in the state but expressed worry that because of the cost implications involved in the construction of shoreline protections in the areas, there is no way Government can do all of them at the same time.

Lokpobiri,was quoted pledging the President’s determination and commitment to the development of the entire country no matter how remote the areas may be, disclosing that the Aleibiri shoreline project was one, out of the 16 ecological intervention projects approved by Buhari in the second quarter of 2017 for the community, which has been experiencing serious erosion and environmental degradation challenges.

Lokpobiri expressed optimism that the intervention project would bring huge relief to the Aleibiri community, also noting that the laudable project would set the stage for more remedial measures expected to stabilize the socio-economic wellbeing of the people.

Mr. Yusuf Aliyu Adi, Director, Coastal Management, Ecological Funds Office, who represented the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) in his remarks, commended the cordial relationship that existed between the contractor, who happens to come from the community and the people, which made the completion of the project on time.

He also reiterated Federal Government’s caution to benefiting communities to ensure proper used of the project and to desist from any forms of vandalization that would shorten the life span of the project.

Reacting to the request by the Aleibiri community to extend the shoreline protection project beyond the 100 meter length as well as to increase the height of the project, Adi promised to take the request to the appropriate office at the SGF, Abuja.

While expressing optimism that the erosion funds office would be inclined to acceding to the community’s demands, Adi stated that a lot would depend on the commitment of the Aleibiri community to ensure proper management of the initial project.

In a welcome address by the Chairman of the Community Development Committee (CDC) of the Aleibiri Federated Community, Hon. Savannah Omoniware, the people very warmly appreciated the minster for all the projects he attracted to their community.

Also in his speech, Chief Warri Morris, the Deputy Highness, Isampou Federated Community, noted that the completion of the Federal rice farm project at Isampou, the completion of the access road to the farm house and the provision of more solar lights as some of the areas Lokpobiri should provide interventions to them.

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