NewStats: 3,262,373 , 8,176,961 topics. Date: Monday, 02 June 2025 at 04:30 AM 4k565w

FG threatens to withdraw funding for Bonny-Bodo road due to lack of cooperation by host communities
Okechukwu Nnodim, Abuja

The Federal Government on Thursday threatened to withdraw funding for the suspended N120bn Bonny-Bodo road project as a result of lack of cooperation by host communities meant to benefit from the project in the Niger Delta.

It called on leaders of the affected communities to unite, adding that the fund released for the project by the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Company might be refunded if the host communities failed to agree on specified .

The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, gave the warning to leaders of the communities at a meeting in Abuja, which had prominent traditional rulers from the Niger Delta region, officials of Julius Berger Plc, NLNG and council of elders from Ataba and Gokana, among others, in attendance.

Fashola begged the leaders of the communities to forget their differences and stated that if the discord persisted, he might petition the President over the issue and ask him to withdraw the N60bn contract sum for the project.
He explained that the Bonny-Bodo road project had enjoyed the largest funding, as the NLNG was providing N60bn with additional N60bn counterpart funding from the Federal Government.

The minister told his guests that the contractor handling the project had been mobilised, yet the project was suspended due to lack of cooperation from the benefitting communities.
Fashola expressed worry over the position of the elders, who insisted that the project would not be implemented except they were carried along and an additional route would be constructed in Ataba. He said, “You must work this peace. Today is Thursday, since you said you know the permanent secretary, I will leave you with him. All I want is a peace accord and an invitation to Julius Berger not later than Wednesday, February 28, otherwise I will write a report to Mr. President that it doesn’t seem that this project is ready to go, but we can move the money to another project.

“Whether it is Ataba, Ogoni or Gokana, you must own this project. The people you call militants are not spirits. They take their cue from how you react. You are leaders there. If you go back home today and say it is over, the militants too will calm down. They don’t do anything without alerting the leaders.”

Fashola added, “For us, we can’t keep the money down. The contractor has received his money but now he can’t work. There are projects where contractors are waiting for money, but they don’t have it. That is a contradiction that will not last long.
“So, I will leave you. You know where we stand. We have an idea of where you stand. For me, it is a compromise that holds the project. The NLNG will not be there forever. It took time to even beg them to release this money. So, if you don’t take ownership of the project and put it to use, we might as well tell them to take their money back and that the project is not ready.”

http://punchng.com/fg-threatens-to-withdraw-funding-for-bonny-bodo-road-unveils-document-on-drinking-water-standard/

cc: Lalasticlala

THE LEADERS FIGHT WHILE THE MASSES SUFFER THE BLOW

Sai baba

Let government withdraw the funding. We Niger deltans are the laziest people in this country. Bring good projects to the community and stupid, good for nothing youths will demand compensation before the project will be done. No difference between them and almajiris because they'll continue to suffer

Can you see where we are getting things wrong in this Niger Delta
Selfishness and greed. So because the route is not cutting through andoni it's Now a problem

Fashola is right' If the communities along the route will not cooperate,then the funds should be channelled to other serious projects whose people are reasonable & accommodating. Bunch of stupid idiots. Your son was in power for eight years but refused to do anything meaningful for you"GOD has brought a Messiah to rescue you from backwardness & your proving stubborn.

This is self destructive behavior the community is engaging him. Anyway if they can't get extra route now maybe later (distant future). 90% of something is better than 100% of nothing. Then what do they mean by carrired along?

Fashola expressed worry over the position of the elders, who insisted that the project would not be implemented except they were carried along and an additional route would be constructed in Ataba. 

R they sane?

Ok

That's their business

WETIN UNA DONE DO SELF

Lack of cooperation !

Haa

marching ground money, the bane of the niger delta's development.

Lack of cooperation ke?

This people are in most situations trying to avoid proper compensations to those whose lands and properties will be affected.

lofty900:
Let government withdraw the funding. We Niger deltans are the laziest people in this country. Bring good projects to the community and stupid, good for nothing youths will demand compensation before the project will be done. No difference between them and almajiris because they'll continue to suffer

You are very correct. There was a time I deployed an infrastructure across that region that will benefit every individual in each community I went to. My brother, You pay money to deploy, install and commission. Its really bad. What they will benefit from.

Im sure the issues will be about settlement being demanded by the community.

No wonder they prefer settlement/amnesty to community development

Later them blame the government for lack of development.

the Niger Delta Avengers have gone into hiding. We heard that they get up to $ 10million every month. Since Buhari has been giving them this money, did they shout lack of development in thier region?

When Tompolo and Asari were getting paid by GEJ, did any of they that there are no roads leading to GEj"s hometown?

SMH

Where will Nigeria be in years to come

Imagine! People sabotaging their progress just because of petty differences

Later this idiots will scream Marginalisation. Something that will benefit your communities.

Later them go say FG no wan work for them. Yeye smellos

The ve to learn to compromise without delay

davodyguy:
Im sure the issues will be about settlement being demanded by the community.

No wonder they prefer settlement/amnesty to community development

Later them blame the government for lack of development.

the Niger Delta Avengers have gone into hiding. We heard that they get up to $ 10million every month. Since Buhari has been giving them this money, did they shout lack of development in thier region?

When Tompolo and Asari were getting paid by GEJ, did any of they that there are no roads leading to GEj"s hometown?

SMH

Left for those community leaders, that 60bn should be shared among them and the road should be left like that. That is how those people reason.

I am not surprise. The people holding down development in Bonny are their greedy chiefs and so called elders.
Bonny should be one of the best Island in Nigeria but because of greediness of their chiefs and laziness of the youths, that is why they are where they are today.
All they want is to be 'settled'. And that money will be used for drinking and womanizing.

LOL. of course, they are 5%

They don't know the value of development... And I also hope the FG doesn't use this as an excuse to discontinue the project.

It is a pity, these people prefer their pockets to the overall goodness of the community

Fashola, you can move the money to the Lagos-Ibadan expressway. Nobody is disturbing the project here. Just complete Lagos-Ibadan expressway with the money. Militants in Suuth-South can use Lagos-Ibadan expressway to get to their houses and huts in their villages.

“Our Money” pipo