Key militants who are crucial to the ongoing talks aimed at restoring peace to the Niger Delta have kicked against the manner in which contractors for the development of the zone are being chosen.
Sources told the Nigerian Compass that already the militants have warned the Presidency of an imminent confrontation on the issue.
These revelations came to the fore just as the Nigerian Compass learnt that President Umaru Yar’Adua has disapproved the execution of contracts that he considers menial by the Ministry of the Niger Delta.
Rather, Yar’Adua was said to have told the Minister of the Ministry of the Niger Delta, Obong Ufot Ekaette, that the ministry must focus on mega regional infrastructural projects that would open up the zone.
The Nigerian Compass gathered that the militants have accused a big wig of the Ministry of the Niger Delta of cornering all the contracts meant for the zone.
The big wig, who reportedly promised to be fair in the award of contracts and choice of contracts, has been alleged to be awarding the contracts to his own companies.
This development has angered the militants who obtained a promise from the Presidency that they would be involved in the process for the development of their zone.
As exclusively reported by the Nigerian Compass, among the package they presented to the Presidency, and which was accepted, was the involvement of the militants in contracts execution, monthly allowances for them and acquisition of choice houses in Abuja.
As such, when the contracts were not forthcoming, the militants kicked, bringing the issue to the attention of the President.
Meanwhile, Yar’Adua has disapproved of the execution of menial jobs by the Ministry of the Niger Delta.
Sources said that Yar’Adua has directed the ministry to focus on mega regional infrastructural projects that can open up the Niger Delta region and add value to the people.
It was learnt that the projects will include the completion of the East-West Road, construction of the Niger Delta coastal road, the brining to life of the Niger Delta railway transportation system, the Niger Delta inland water ways transportation system and the development of new towns.
Sources said that Yar’Adua was not pleased with the execution of the projects contained in the 2009 budget in the Niger Delta.
It was learnt that most of the projects could not be executed because they did not meet the criteria of being capable of developing the Niger Delta.
Added to this was the fact that the ministry’s budget was done up haphazardly because the ministers for the ministry were yet to be named by the time the budget was drawn up.
A source said, “So it was the legislators that drew up the budget and they based it on their feelings and not on reality.
“If you remember, the ministers were inaugurated on December 23, 2009, by which time the budget had been approved.”
Explaining further, the source said that no design or feasibility study was done for any of the projects before budgetting was done for them.
It was learnt that out of the N48 billion approved for the ministry for capital projects, N28.4 billion already had projects tied to them.
One of such projects is the East-West Road, which has four sections, with the 337 kilometres running from Warri in Delta State to Oron in Akwa Ibom State.
The project is estimated to cost N230 billion according to a 2006 estimate.
It is meant for completion in 2010.
Based on the conception of the 2009 budget, N19.6 billion was then shared among the remaining projects, majority of which are alleged to be constituency projects of the legislators.
However, only six out of the 36 projects on the list are said to be relevant to the objective of developing the Niger Delta.
Among the six projects are the Aba-Ekparakwa-Obehie Road, which links Abia State with Akwa Ibom State; another from Edo State to Delta State between Abraka and Uromi.
But most of the projects were for projects considered not beneficial to the region as a whole.
One of such is the tarring of the 25km road network in Itu Iga Local Government Area for N150 million.
The chairman of the House Committee on Business and Rules, Senator Enang Ita, is said to be from the local government area and influenced its inclusion in the budget.
But by the time the design for the road was done, it was discovered that about N6 billion would be needed for the work.
Another project that was grossly undervalued was the Eastern Ibiono Ibeo Water Project.
While N100 million was budgetted for the work, by the time the consultants in charge drew the design, it was discovered that a princely N750 million would be required to see it through.
A source said, “So, the major affliction with the 2009 budget was that the funds were too thinly spread and in a way that at the end of the day made no sense.
“Even the funds that were released for the commencement of work in most instances do not meet the 15 per cent mobilisation that should be paid to contractors as enshrined in the Procurement Act.
Based on this development, Ekaette, it was leanrt, has met with the various stakeholders in the states that are to benefit from the activities of his ministry and their demands taken.
Ekaette reportedly suggested the citing of at least one major project in each of the states.
The people of Imo State reportedly demanded for the construction of a road that would link the oil producing communities.
It was the same demand that was made in Ondo State where the people sought the construction of roads in Ese Ilaje.
The people of the oil producing communities of Cross River and Akwa Ibom states told the minister that their request was for a road that would link the two states through Tinapa.
In fulfilling its mandate, the ministry, it was learnt has concluded arrangements to train indigenes of the area in the oil and gas business so they could also have a stake in the petroleum industry.
Another source said the projects the ministry plans to embark upon “are projects that can dramatically change the outlook of the Niger Delta and provide a conducive atmosphere for investment to thrive.”
The ministry, it was gathered, has completed the contracts award processes for skills acquisition centres, 360 units of houses, three land reclamation projects and the survey of oil-impacted sites in the Niger Delta region.
It has also organised a job fair and selected competent service providers to train and link the qualified ones with available jobs.