Rivers: Federal Lawmaker inaugurates constituency projects in Andoni

…He knows importance of education — Akawor

Barth Ndubuwah, Port Harcourt

Monday,22/8/2022 will remain memorable in the annals of the Obolo people in the Andoni Local Governnment Area of Rivers State,as the as the day the Lawmaker representing Andoni/Opobo-Nkoro Federal Constituency at the National Assembly, Hon Awaji-Inombek Abiante commissioned several life-touching projects he nominated and attracted to his constituents.

Commissioning one of the projects, a-six classroom block at Governnment Secondary School, Ngo, the Chairman of the  Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) in Rivers State, Amb Desmond Akawor described Abiante as a true Representative of his people and by extension Rivers State.

The Chairman said by the virtue of the project, the Legislator has portrayed himself as a lover of education, which is the bedrock of development in any given society. Akawor said he was not surprised that Abiante has been given another ticket to go back and represent his people at the National Assembly, because he has done well.

“Educating the people is one of the ways to empower the people. Lecturers in Rivers State are the highest paid lecturers in Nigeria, so they don’t have any business with sympathy strike of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

“This is courtesy of our education-loving Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike. So I congratulate you, Hon. Abiante for representing your people well at the National Assembly. No wonder, you have been given another ticket to go back.

“The Governor has approved the completion of the Andoni axis of the unity, therefore you should cooperate with the contractor for prompt execution,” Akawor said.

He urged other lawmakers to borrow a leaf from Hon. Abiante.

Also speaking, the Majority Leader of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon. Martin Amaewhule while inaugurating and handing over the keys of the outstation of the temporary accommodation for the Nigerian Institute of Oceanography and Marine Research at Ngo, lauded the effort of the lawmaker in attracting the Federal Government’s presence to his constituency and Rivers State at large, urging him to maintain the tempo.

On his part, the National Coordinator of Grassroots Development Initiative (GDI),a socio-political organisation and Pet-Project of His Excellency, Chief Nyesom Wike, Hon. Bright Amaewhule, whlie commissioning a-300KVA transformer at Ngo, the Headquarters of Andoni Local Governnment Area of Rivers State said that Abiante has justified his election as a representative of Andoni/ Opobo-Nkoro Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives. He said by embarking on these people-oriented projects for his constituents, he has endeared himself in the minds of Rivers people and posterity will be kind to him.

Earlier, while conducting the dignitaries round the project sites, Hon. Abiante said that Nigeria import over two million metric tons of fish per annum, with over $2bn spent on that project alone. Therefore his intervention in this sector is borne out of genuine concern.

This, he said, drove him into sponsoring a bill for the establishment of Brackish Water and Research Institute, which he said passed through all the processes of lawmaking, only for the President to decline his assent. According to him, that remains a mirage to him till date,as no explanation was given for the decline.

The lawmaker said he did not give up, he went ahead and pushed for the alternative of bringing an outstation of the Nigerian Institute of Oceanography and Marine Research to Ngo,hence today’s flag-off.

“Nigeria has over 2 million metric tons of fish deficit annually, that is augmented through import, with about $2bn being spent in that project. So my intervention in that area was borne out of conviction and genuine concern.

“I moved for the establishment of Brackish Water and Research Institute. It passed through all the processes of lawmaking, but when it got to the President he declined assent. Up till today no reason has been given for that decline.

“I went ahead to exploit an alternative by bringing an Outstation of the Nigerian Institute of Oceanography and Marine Research to Ngo and informed today’s flagoff,Your Excellency,” Hon. Abiante explained.

He thanked the Permanent Secretary and the Minister, Federal Ministry of Agriculture, as well as the Executive Secretary, Agricultural Council of Nigeria for their roles in making the inuaguration a reality.

He also paid glowing tribute to the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives and House Committee Chairman on Agricultural Colleges for their supportive roles that led to the approval of the establishment of an Outstation of the Nigerian Institute of Oceanography and Marine Research  in Ngo.

Hon. Abiante equally said that very soon the Federal College of Fishery and Marine Technology will be established in Ngo.

Other projects attracted and successfully executed by Hon. Abiante include, 300KVA Transformer at Egweile- Ngo Town and Agwut/Ayamboko junction, Water project at Ayama Unyeangala, 3 classroom block at  Community Primary School, Isiama Town and 6 classroom block at Government Secondary School, Ngo Town.

Others are Skill Acquisition Centre located inside the Council’s Secretariat, Ngo and Outstation of the Nigerian Institute of Oceanography and Marine Research in Ngo Town, to train students and researchers on the brackish water fishery and environment.

Highlight of the programme was handling over of the keys of the  Nigerian Institute of Oceanography and Marine Research outstation at Ngo to the Management for onward commencement of academic activities pronto.