FG committed to making Abia capital of manufacturing – Osinbajo

The Federal Government says it is committed to working with Abia State Government in making the state the capital of manufacturing in Nigeria.
Vice President Yemi Osinbanjo disclosed this in Umuahia during a town hall meeting on Friday, stating that this will be in alliance with the state government.
His words: “We are committed to working with the state government in making this state the capital of manufacturing in Nigeria and we will support the state to ensure that it is successful and that young people and entrepreneurs and all those that intend to be involved in commerce and industry and create the opportunities for others”.
The VP stated this while responding to agitations from the Abia Elders Advisory Council, Ukwa Youths Congress, Ukwa Women Association, Centre for the Eradication of Rural Poverty, and representative of the Traditional Rulers Council.
Others include former Senate President, Sen. Adolfus Wabara, for Abia Elders and National Assembly members from Abia South Senatorial District, including Sen. Enyinnaya Abaribe and Rep. Uzoma Abonta.
Others were Eze Young Ogbonna, for traditional rulers, Mr. Chima Nwogu, Ukwa Youths, Chief Don Ubani, Centre for the Eradication of Rural Poverty, Sam Nwogu, a former Abia State representative on the NDDC board, and Comfort Jite of Ukwa Women.
They had informed the VP about neglect by oil companies, non-employment quota for them, abandoned federal projects in the area, including roads and electricity projects, no representation in NDDC, occupation of premier school by the army in Ukwa land, and no scholarship quota for them.
Others include non-inclusion of Abians in the Federal Government amnesty programme, land degradation, influence of gas flaring on the health of host communities, lack of federal institution in the area, and other federal presence.
Responding, Osinbajo said: “In November, 2016, NDDC visited the president at Abuja and submitted a 16-point roadmap on how to develop the oil producing communities. The president therefore decided that he must undertake visits to all of the oil producing areas in the country to engage with the leadership and the people of these communities, to hear them, to seek a better understanding of their problems and concerns and also to present a new vision to the people of the oil producing communities.
”There is no question at all that the majority of people of these communities, including the Asa community and several parts of the oil producing states of this country have heard of oil wells and the prosperity, while most have not benefited from that well”.
He emphasised that one of the things that has happened in the past few months is that the Federal Government has designed a new partnership with oil producing communities, a partnership of the Federal Government, state government, local government and the oil producing communities, as well as indigenous and foreign oil companies. Not just a relationship between the Federal Government and the oil producing communities, but anybody that is concerned with oil production as well is involved in creating this new vision.
This, he said, focuses on the need to see that the people see the benefit of the worth of the oil of the land.
Osinbajo disclosed that the government will ensure that all the oil producing communities, including the Asa community are beneficiaries of the modular refineries.
According to him, the Federal Government noticed that in oil communities, especially in Asa over the years, there has not been any sabotage of oil pipeline or oil facilities in this particular community, describing it as a vibrant and productive approach adopted by the people of the area, adding that it is a mature approach and the right thing to do.
On the appointment of the commissioner for Abia State in the NDDC, he said the Federal Government will do so shortly, pointing out that it is not only Abia, but also Ondo.
On the abandoned road project, he said the Federal Government will certainly pay attention to that, stating that the government has ordered all contactors back to site within thirty days or face prosecution. He promised that the Federal Government will supervise the projects so that the roads are completed.
Minister for Trade and Investment, Okechukwu Enenamah; Minister of State, Petroleum, Ibe Kachikwu; Senior Special Adviser to the President on Amnesty Programme, Paul Boro, and Minister of NDDC, Pastor Usang Uguru, who were at the town hall meeting defended and expounded the positions of their ministries.