The Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Niger Delta Affairs, has expressed frustration over the uncooperative attitude of Governors from Akwa Ibom and Cross River states over the continued delay in the funding of the reconstruction of the Odukpani/Itu/Ikot Ekpene highway.
He has also expressed displeasure over the uncooperative attitude of members of the National Assembly
from the two states in exerting pressure on the Federal Government on the state of the road and the need to reconstruct it.
Enang while fielding questions from Correspondents in Uyo at the weekend said that apart from Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River who tried helping in the process of implementing the contract for the reconstruction of the road, officials of both states and their federal lawmakers have done little or nothing to get money released for the reconstruction of the highway.
He explained that the little that has been done on the project remained his personal effort and wondered why officials of both states should continue to politicize a road that remained of huge economic and social importance to the country and the two states in particular.
“It is not APC or PDP or the Federal Government that will use that road but Nigerians and mostly the people of Akwa Ibom and Cross River states and so I want people to ask the Federal lawmakers from both states questions why that road has remained in that deplorable stat
“I challenge all members of the House of Representatives, all senators representing Akwa Ibom and Cross River State and the Governor of Akwa Ibom State to raise their hands to God and speak about their efforts towards the state of Calabar/Itu road.” He said.
The SSA further said he tried several times to ensure that fund made available to contractors awarded the road reconstruction is released but blamed administrative bottlenecks and lack of commitment from officials of both state governments for the inadequate or lack of funds for the reconstruction work.
On apprehension over possible hike in the price of fuel, Enang assured Nigerians that the presidency has taken drastic steps to crash the prices of petroleum products.
The Federal Government, according to him has concluded plans to host a National Conference on Artisanal and Modular Refining in March to integrate local refiners into the mainstream refining in Nigeria.
He explained that the government has agreed to partner with those in the creek on how to legalise their businesses towards refining with incountry capacities in response to the amnesty extended to the Federal Government by the former illegal refiners.
“We need to agree with those in the creek on how to legalise their business because of the danger the current practice is posing to the environment and the economy of the country.
“Therefore the Federal Government will on March 15th- 17th hold a National Conference on Artisanal and Modular Refining to integrate local refiners into the mainstream refining in Nigeria.
“It is more necessary to do incountry refining to avoid certain duties and charges connected with importation of Petroleum products. with this steps, it would be possible to have the products at less than N100 per liter, because other charges relating to clearing the cargo would have been dropped.” He said.
Speaking on the need to diversify the nation’s economy as the world continues to grapple with Covid-19 pandemic, Sen Enang said the Basin Development Authority has handed over all lands within his jurisdiction in all the Niger Delta States to his office for agricultural purposes.
As part of Covid-19 relief Programme therefore, he disclosed that the Federal Government has, through the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing system for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL), Nigeria Agricultural Lands Development Authority (NALDA), CBN, NDDC and the Cross River Basin Development Authority
released grants to beneficiaries collated through his office to enable them go into largescale agric businesses, as part of the Federal Government Emergency Agricultural Programme.
