Buhari will soon sign maritime university bill into law – Omo-Agege assures
….Says EPZ project to be completed while floating dockyard shall return
…As Pere of Gbaramatu cautions politicians to avoid hate speech
By Enaibo Asiayei & Solomon Yeigagha
The Deputy President of the Senate and Governorship candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Delta State, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, on Tuesday, December 20, 2022, stated that very soon, the Nigeria Maritime University bill would be signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The Delta Central lawmaker gave the assurance during the party’s ward-to-ward campaign held at Okerenkoko, Gbaramatu kingdom, Warri South West Local Government of Delta.
According to him, the bill establishing Maritime University was never abandoned. “In fact, it was passed by both the House of Representatives and the Senate. But when it went for signing into law, problems came up concerning its funding. Presently, we are working on it to have it passed. I will not tell you more than this but our King, the Pere of Gbaramatu is aware of the level of work that is ongoing in that respect.
The Deputy Senate President who spoke in pidgin English, said; “I know how dear this Maritime university be to una, I know how dear it is to the Ijaw nation but it is just as dear to the Ijaw nation as it is to the entire Delta state and in fact the entire Niger Delta. If I may just correct Michael Johnny, nor be say senate never pass am, no, we don pass am, they pass am for house, they pass for senate, but when eh go for approval, problem come arise about the funding and as I dey here I am working on that funding mechanism provision and I nor wan talk am plenty here’’
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Continuing, he added, “Our King, the Pere of Gbaramatu is aware of the Job we are doing in that respect and I can assure you and I promise you very soon the law wey go set up that school will be signed by Mr President and in it with the adequate funding provision and along with that, this issue wey you raise about the floating dock, we are also on it too. Recently, because of the intervention of our King, the Pere, we have also reached out, we are working with the new minister of transportation, we are working with the DG of NIMASA to make sure say we address that very concern and very very soon, that issue will be resolved for the benefit of all of us. In fact we know say with that school functioning well, and God willing too, with the EPZ also coming upstream, this area go begin to boom well well. He concluded.
Earlier in the day, the Deputy President of the Senate, while in Ugborodo community assured them that, the now-abandoned Export Processing Zone (EPZ) at Ogidigben and Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South-West LGA of the state will become a reality if the presidential candidate of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, emerges Nigerian President in 2023.
Omo-Agege said he would collaborate and support the Tinubu presidency to ensure that the multi-billion-dollar EPZ project is activated and brought to fruition to the benefit of all Nigerians
“Even before I listened to Itsekiri leaders here in Ugborodo, I already knew some of the challenges by myself that when I become governor, I will fight to ensure that we actualise them.
“Look at the EPZ that is there (Ogidigben). You remember that when the project started under the administration of former President Jonathan, former governor Emmanuel Uduaghan showed interest. Uduaghan was very much interested in EPZ as governor.
“But since Uduaghan left office, and Okowa came in, the project has been abandoned. When I become governor, I will consult Tinubu. I’ll liaise with oil companies. This EPZ must become reality.
Meanwhile, the Pere of Gbaramatu Kingdom, His Royal Majesty, the Pere of Gbaramatu kingdom, Oboro-Gbaraun II, has warned politicians against instigating violence with their campaigns during next year’s general elections.
The Gbaramatu monarch spoke when the governorship candidate of the APC, Senator Omo-Agege and his deputy, Rt. Hon. Friday Osanebi, led party chieftains to his palace as Delta APC ward-to-ward campaign stormed the area.
The royal father specifically cautioned politicians to avoid hate speech and actions capable of undermining relative peace especially in the Niger Delta by imbibing issue-based campaigns.
Oboro-Gbaraun II, who prayed for victory for Omo-Agege and other APC candidates during the visit, noted that as traditional ruler, he will continue to preach peace and pray for peaceful 2023 general elections.
Also speaking separately at the APC campaign rally in Ugborodo and Okerenkoko, leaders of the party in the local government area, Chief Michael Johnny, Chief Bosin Ebikeme and Chief Ayiri Emami, called on the people of Warri South-West to vote for all APC candidates in the forthcoming elections.
It would be recalled that Senator Omo-Agege in a similar style on Monday December 19, 2022, at Ogbe Ijoh, the headquarters of Warri West Local Government Area, among other promises stated that he will build a tertiary institution in Ijaw land and link Ogbe Ijaw to Wari town via a bridge, if elected governor in the forthcoming 2023 general election in the state.
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