Chairman of Eleme council in Rivers State, Obarilomate Ollor has expressed displeasure over recent empowerment programme allegedly carried out by the management of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) for a faction of the All Progressive Congress (APC) loyal to the Honourable Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi in the area.
Describing that as a deliberate move to undermine the council’s authority and instigate crisis, Obarilomate gave NPA Headquarters 7 days ultimatum to clear her name from the allegation of partisan empowerment or face legal action.
According to Ollor; “A faction of the All Progressive Congress loyal to the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi flagrantly displayed items they purported to have been given by NPA and that created a lot of reaction from the people and as I speak to you now our people are coming out with several positions that can lead to crisis in the local government.
“The reason is that NPA is not a registered political party to participate or play politics with any group of persons in our community. So, we came here to get the fact and know if NPA, Onne Port is aware of the CSR that was displayed by a group of persons in Onne that NPA gave them to support them”.
“ I have never heard before where a corporate institution like NPA will support a particular group in a political party. Those items were shared within themselves, all leaders of that particular group in their party were there and they claim that it was given to them by NPA so we suspect that this may have been done to undermine the leadership of the LGA which is headed by us and the leadership of Chief Nyesom Wike, the Governor of Rivers State”.
“We decided to pay a visit to the Port to find out why that happened and who authorized that to happen in our LGA. We want NPA to explain to us why you should participate in politics in our place. We feel this is completely reprehensible and we will not accept it as a people. We will go all length to ensure that this act does not repeat itself. We are trying to build a society that is not divisive, that is peaceful without rancour but this act alone is capable of throwing our place into confusion.
“We are accusing NPA that they are the ones that wants to create problems for our people. It is only when you explain that these persons were using their name that we can say they are exonerated. Is it because the Minister of Transportation is the leader of the group which displayed this CSR? If actually the Minister meant well for those people that say they are supporting him from our area, he would have done better than that, not sewing machines in 2021 as empowerment.
“What we require from the NPA if the Minister meant well for Eleme people is to make Onne Port a busy Port, bring employment to our people in NIMASA and other agencies of the authority. There should be reasonable development from the authority to our place but instead no project, no employment and you come up with sewing machine, it’s a big shame and disgrace to whoever brought or received it. We want NPA to clear their name and explain to us why they should be involved in not just politics but local politics of a faction of APC loyal to the Honourable Minister of Transportation.
“If they do not within now and the next 7 days, we will have no option than to take a very serious legal position on this issue.
The council boss used the medium to uncover plans by his administration to ensure the people of Eleme benefits maximally from the companies operating within the area, calling on NPA which is the regulating body to stand with her to ensure compliance
He said plans to organize a summit that will bring all companies together to chart a way forward is on.
He said: “There is a high level of unemployment. I don’t know why the companies hurriedly go out to employ people when there are capable hands in Eleme. Even if some of our youths don’t have the requisite skills for the job, why not train them in a specific skill that is relevant and can be of use if not in that company, some where else.
Now, this is where you will have to come in to help us which is why we are here. Engage this companies to employ our youths, enforce it on them to train our youths on skills if they can’t employ them, this will help in reducing the crime. This meeting is an opportunity to let you know that we have a great problem and needs to be fixed if not it will affect us in the near future.
Responding, the Port Manager, Stanley Magaji Yitnoe denied knowledge of any empowerment programme by NPA.
He said they are not aware as they also witnessed it in the media.
In his words; “We also saw it in the media and we don’t want to believe that it happened”.
He added that investigation is still on from their other quarters to get the true state of things.
