Posted by From Chuks Okocha in Port Harcourt on
Rivers State governemet yesterday said it was among the states in the Niger Delta that would benefit from the construction of new power stations by the Federal Government under a new arrangement by Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN).
Rivers State governemet yesterday said it was among the states in the Niger Delta that would benefit from the construction of new power stations by the Federal Government under a new arrangement by Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN).
The state Commissioner for Information, Magnus Abe, disclosed this to newsmen after the state executive council meeting in Port Harcourt.
According to him, 'Rivers State is to benefit from another new power station that will generate 200 megawatts of electricity courtesy of the Federal Government, under its power generation enhancement programme for states in the Niger Delta region."
He said this development would bring the total number of power to be generated from Omoku Power Station alone to 450 megawatts by 2007, as the new Federal Government Power Station is to be built opposite the state-owned Gas Turbine Station at Omoku.
With this development, Abe said the state would be fully independent in power supply, but warned those who take delight in vandalising power installations, particularly NEPA facilities around the East-West road to desist forthwith as security agencies have been put on the alert to apprehend perpetrators.
Also, the commissioner said the state government has banned the use of Biafran terms by the warring Ataba Community in Adoni Local Government area. Before the ban, the use of Biafran terms within the communities was rife among some groups who referred to themselves as "Biafra," while other went with the name "Nigerian."
According to the cCommissioner, one major component of the white paper report just released was the abolition of the terms 'Biafra" and 'Nigeria" used derogatorily on some members of the community.
'The use of the term Biafra and Nigeria in the opinion of council is not helpful, and part of the decisions of the white paper directed the Andoni Local Government Council to proscribe the use of such terms," he said, and called for co-operation from all Ataba indigenes to ensure the return of peace to the community.
On the crisis at Ataba community, the commissioner said the government has approved the release of the white paper on the crisis adding that details of the white paper would be released within 48 hours by the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice.
Abe expressed optimism that the philosophy behind the decisions contained in the white paper is to ensure that lasting peace and development returned to Ataba community and Andoni in particular and Rivers State as a whole.
He said the executive council appealed to those who would be affected by the decision to take it in good faith, saying they were necessary sacrifices in the interest of peace and development of the community.
Also, the government has directed the contractor handling the rehabilitation of Obi Wali Road in Port Harcourt Pinade Construction Company to mobilise to site within 48 hours, or have the contract cancelled, and he should be ready to refund the mobilisation fee already paid to him by the state government.