From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
Bayelsa state government says it has mobilised the contractor that would construct phase one of the Nembe-Brass senatorial road project.
This is just as it said it has uncovered plot by those it described as “unscrupulous elements” within some communities in the area.
The Commissioner for Information, Strategy and Orientation, Mr Ayibaina Duba disclosed this on Friday during the transparency briefing for the months of March and April, 2022 in Yenagoa, the state capital
Duba, who noted that the groundbreaking ceremony for the project would take place in no distant time, hinted that the government had received some intelligence reports of a planned disruption of the project.
He therefore appealed to neighbouring communities around the Nembe-Brass road to cooperate with the government to ensure the smooth execution of the project to be handled simultaneously alongside the other two senatorial roads.
His words: “The Bayelsa state government has mobilized the contractor for the construction of the Nembe-Brass road and soon the groundbreaking ceremony will take place.
“We are pleading with communities in that area for cooperation so that the project will not be stalled. We have had some intelligence reports of people planning to disrupt the smooth execution of the senatorial road. The Ministry of Works and Infrastructure is already engaging with the communities at multiple levels to ensure the project is executed seamlessly.
So I am on behalf of the government as the government spokesman calling on Nembe- Brass people to take the project as theirs”
Responding to questions on the distribution of ecological funds to the state, Hon. Duba explained that measures were being taken to tackle environmental challenges in the state in communities such as Odi, Sampou and Ayama-Ogbia.
“The Civil Society Organizations and Non-governmental Organizations involved in environmental matters gave kudos to the state government for the efforts at addressing environmental problems.”
Also in their contributions, the Technical Adviser on Treasury, Accounts and Revenue, Mr. Timipre Seipulo and the Accountant General of the state, Ms Tokoni Ifidi explained that 50% of the ecological funds received from the federal allocation were transferred monthly to the Niger Delta Development Commission.
Presenting the income and expenditure report for the month of March, Mr. Seipulo said the state received N15.2 billion as total gross inflow from the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC).
For the month of April 2022, Mr Seipulo said the state got N22.206 billion as total gross inflow which consisted of statutory allocation of N2.9 billion, derivation N17.2 billion and value added tax N2 billion.