Pathetically, the manifested behaviors of the two top federal government functionaries from the South-South, the Minister of Transport, Chibuike
Amaechi and the Minister of State for Petroleum, Ibe Kachikwu, on Monday 13 June 2016 at the Uyo Federal Government’s Town Hall Meeting, completely drowned the actual message in the open disagreement.
It was unfortunate that Amaechi may have been perceived to have tactlessly spilled raw truth and basic knowledge on the matter but that does not in any way diminish the gravity of the issue of the already expended bill on acquiring land for the federal government’s maritime university at Okerenkoko, Delta State. Good that Kachikwu himself acknowledged that there is an issue with the costing of the acquired land but how acceptable is his idea of dealing with the identified issue blurred transactions?
Is it enough to simply say: let’s just keep pumping money into the project first and later we address issues of accountability or rather prudence? The question with this Kachikwu’s mindset is: who provides this money we need “to go on first”? And when is the right time to raise the issue of accountability and cost efficiency – is it better now or much later in the life of the project when ‘water go don pass garri’?
From the pronouncements by both ministers, it was very clear neither Amaechi nor Kachikwu were against the university project and its location in Okerenkoko, so the uproar was really unnecessary. The issue remains about the cost of acquiring the land for the project, which still has to be discussed if not now, maybe tomorrow.
Could it be taken as unpatriotic to the Niger Delta that the transport minister whose ministry is expected to finance the university project is convinced the 13 billion Naira dangled as the cost already spent for land acquisition alone was unreasonable and needed to be investigated by the appropriate agencies of government?
Whether anybody wants to hear this or not, there is no doubt that Amaechi and Kachikwu are both working in the best interest of the country and the Niger Delta as evidenced in some of the stances the two of them have taken in the recent history of this Buhari-led government. Truth be told, none of them love the Niger Delta more than the other; and none of them equally love their boss, President Buhari, more than the other. The tragedy of what transpired in the Uyo was that both ministers allowed mischief makers hijack the real essence of what they actually meant to convey in their discussions, particularly as concerns the proposed maritime university.
Understandably, Kachikwu’s perceived disposition and associated graah graah on the issue can be explained. Coming with so much fire in his bones to achieve or rather impress in his new assignment as the de facto minister of petroleum, it is becoming clear to him that there is no way he can achieve a single milestone anywhere in the oil sector if the militants currently on the “Operation Red Economy” campaign are not discouraged from their avowed mission of making sure nothing works in the industry. So he is ready to call malu brother if that will grant him peace at all times and on all sides and at all costs. The tragedy of this mindset is that whatever you reward, you get more of it. Bros make you hear now o!
It would be recalled that while addressing the senate committee on maritime on January 19, Amaechi announced the scrapping of the Maritime University project originally slated to be sited at Okerenkoko, Delta state as it was expected to be financed by the Nigerian Maritime and Safety Administration Agency (NIMASA), a parastatal under his ministry.
He cited insecurity in the area, and described the project as a “misplacement of priority” because as he pointed out, there are two transport institutes already in the country- one in Zaria (Kaduna), and the other in Oron, Akwa Ibom State.
Amaechi who revisited the case again, at the Uyo Town Hall Meeting in response to a question from a participant said the new government lacked the funds to continue with the university project. He also called the amount spent on purchasing land for the university into question.
According to him, if the N13 billion already spent on land acquisition alone was returned, the university would be completed. He made it clear that he was not at all against the idea of the Okerenkoko (Maritime University) in Delta State, stressing that his argument was that land alone has already gulped 13 billion Naira which was more than enough to completely build and equip the institution.
The Transport Minister suggested that “What to do is to let EFCC retrieve and release the money and then we will use it to build the university. If they bring the N13 billion, I will build the university for them.
That’s for land alone. I believe the Federal Government does not have money. When we have money, we can continue. The minister of petroleum has said he would look for the money. Minister, give me the money and we continue.”
Kachikwu, disagreeing with his colleague at the same Uyo meeting, said, “First, let me say on Okerenkoko University, I disagree with the Minister of Transport. Any facility that is located in the South-South we should work close to developing it. I don’t care the circumstances under, which you are placed.
“It’s not in my position to determine whether land was valued at 19 billion or 10 billion. The appropriate institution which is at the cost system will determine that.
“That has nothing to do with development of infrastructure. As far as I know, so much has already gone into that, so much fiscal asset has been developed. We are not going to throw away the baby and the bath water.
“We’ll deal with the issues but the university will be developed. If he (Amaechi) doesn’t want it in maritime, I will take it in Petroleum.
“On the issue of negotiations, again I disagree with him. There’s no theater in the world where conflicts are being resolved through battle. It doesn’t matter who’s right, who’s wrong.”
The uproar against Amaechi was understandable, however. The Niger Delta people, or more aptly, a section of the region, is angry at the announced cancellation of the university project in Delta State, yet Amaechi seemed not to care about their displeasure and is still trying very hard to justify the decision. According to them, why is Amaechi more concerned about the 13 billion Naira paid for land instead of the overall development advantage such a project would bring to the area?
The takeaway from the Uyo town hall meeting was that this administration should be helped to lead the people with an open mind purged of every prejudice. They should be more objective in making decisions and taking actions. After all, democracy is supposed to be the government of the people by the people and for the people. Abi?
Ifeanyi Izeze writes from Abuja. He can be reached at iizeze@yahoo.com.
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