An All Progressives Congress chieftain in Delta State, Ayirimi Emami, on Tuesday, stated that Warri’s waterways are among the safest globally.
Emami stated this during a conversation with State House correspondents on Tuesday following closed-door talks with President Bola Tinubu at the State House, Abuja. He mentioned that the discussions were centred around the dredging of Warri Port.
He stressed that the Delta waterways, particularly the Warri-Escravos route, are currently secure, with few security challenges affecting the region.
“I don’t think we have significant security problems in our area; the waterways are among the safest in the world right now. The Warri-Escravos and Delta waterways are very secure.
So for now, we don’t have too many security issues,” he stated.
Emami explained that he met Tinubu to discuss development matters and political representation for the Itsekiri people in his state. One of the key projects includes the road spanning Omadino through Gbaramatu to Ugborodo.
Emami added that he received the President’s assurance that both Chevron and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) are collaborating to execute the project. According to him, the President mentioned that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation’s (NNPC) Group Managing Director is working with stakeholders to properly dredge the port’s bar mouth. He expressed optimism about the project’s completion, which has been a longstanding issue for Delta communities.
He explained, “About five months ago, I was here to discuss specific issues related to our area in Delta with Mr President. My visit today serves as a reminder to address the road from Omadino, passing through Gbaramatu to Ugborodo, which they are working on.
“His response was that Chevron and NDDC are already working to find a way forward on that road.
“Regarding the Warri Port, which has been a persistent issue for us, he assured us that the GMD of NNPC is devising a solution for the proper dredging of the bar mouth and addressing other related issues affecting my people, both politically and otherwise.”
Emami also mentioned that he discussed the Ogidigben Gas Project with the President.
“I can never fail to mention it. It was part of our discussions, and he promptly directed someone to follow up on these issues,” he said.
He voiced concerns about political representation, stressing the need for more government appointments for the Itsekiri people.
“The political issues pertain to the appointment of our people. I believe these matters are being addressed politically. He said he’s going to look into it,” he concluded.(Vanguard)