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| Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan |
President Goodluck Jonathan has mandated the Delta State
Governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan, relevant authorities in the presidency and the
Ministry of Petroleum Resources to fix a new date for the ground breaking
ceremony of the $16 billion Delta Gas City and the Export Processing Zone
project.
Jonathan gave the directive when he paid a courtesy call on
the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse II, in the company of Uduaghan, during an
unscheduled visit to Delta State.
He pointed out that it would not be possible to do the
ground breaking before the elections because the investors have to be around
for the ceremony, stressing that these were companies that have to be given
enough notice.
Jonathan therefore mandated the Delta State Governor to work
closely with the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and the presidency to get a
suitable date before May 29 for the exercise.
The president took the opportunity of the visit to explain
the circumstances surrounding the aborted ground breaking for the Delta Gas
City project and the Export Free Zone (EPZ).
He told the Olu of Warri, in the presence of his chiefs,
that he had to put off the ground breaking because of the fear of outbreak of
violence after the ceremony, which would have frightened investors.
According to him, his action in putting off the exercise was
not borne out of fear that anything was going to happen to him, noting that as
a son of the Niger-Delta, he could move freely in the zone without molestation.
Jonathan, during the visit, also had a private audience with
the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo
Oritsejafor.
Governor Uduaghan on his part commended the president’s
personal visit to the Olu of Warri which has afforded him the opportunity to
explain to the monarch and the Itsekiri people the issues surrounding the
ground breaking ceremony of the project.
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