Jonathan in Rivers, Promises Power Reform

Written by This Day Saturday, 15 May 2010

President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday in Port Harcourt, Rivers State said that from next year, the federal government would hand off power generation and distribution and concentrate on transmission only, as a way of ensuring power sufficiency and stability in the country.

He also promised to do everything within his power to ensure that the there was consolidation on the gains of the amnesty programme of the government so as to ensure the region does not descend to the sorry state of militancy again.

Jonathan, who was on his first official visit to any state after assuming power made a clarion call for all hands to be on deck in fighting corruption which he said must be fought with all the will that could be mustered, adding that he was also going to ensure that people’s votes count in subsequent elections in Nigeria.

The President spoke at a civic reception organised for him by the Rivers State government at Sharks’s stadium where he extolled the developmental efforts of Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi in the direction of roads, education, health and power infrastructure, adding that he has shown that he was committed to giving good life to the people.

On the request by Amaechi for the refund of N45 billion spent by the state on rehabilitation of Port Harcourt-Owerri road N21 billion; N7 billion on Rumuokwurushi/Eleme flyover and Ada George/East West Road and N17.5 billion on Owerri Road, he said the federal government would appraise and reconcile the accounts with a view to refunding the state.
Earlier in his address, Amaechi stressed the need for the speedy passage and implementation of the Petroleum Industry Bill which cedes 10 per cent of oil wells in oil producing areas.

He also drew the attention of the President to the fact that in spite of being the highest producer of gas in the country and one of the highest oil producing state in the federation, there was scarcely federal presence and asked for a reversal which will assuage those who had been up in arms fighting injustice.

A statement yesterday from the Presidency on the visit to Rivers State said Jonathan had directed the Ministries of Transport, Commerce, Petroleum Resources and their parastatals to ensure that all goods imported into the country are discharged at designated terminals of the Nigerian Ports Authority, saying government will no longer condone the flouting of this directive.
He stated this while commissioning the completed ports facilities at the Onne Ports.
The President also performed the foundation-stone laying ceremony of the Phase 4 projects at the Onne Port Complex as part of his ongoing two-day visit to Rivers State.