The member representing Degema/Bonny Federal Constituency of River State in the House of Representatives, Mr. Farah Dagogo, has condemned the reason given by the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas Limited for abandoning a model school project in Bonny Island, Rivers State.
In April 2015, the NLNG co-signed a deal with the Rivers State government and Tianjin Energy Resources Limited to spend N4.5bn on the development of the school.
According to the multilateral agreement, NLNG’s funding would be gradually based on construction milestones of building and equipping the new school.
Also, the agreement was to provide the guiding framework for building infrastructure in order to deliver quality education at the school.
Dagogo, in a statement titled, ‘Rep Queries NLNG Move to Cancel N4.5bn Bonny School Project,’ on Wednesday said the fate of the school was hanging in the balance.
He disclosed that the resolution and approval of the NLNG’s board at its third quarter meeting was that the project should be discontinued.
The lawmaker also expressed his displeasure at the disposal of the NLNG to the people of Bonny and the Niger Delta region at large.
He said, “What is N4.5bn compared to the exploitation, exploration, degradation and the gas being flared in that area, with its attendant hazard health implications?”
Dagogo added that just as the NLNG was purposing an expansion from its current Train 7 to 15, the living conditions of the people and environment where the resources were tilled should be catered for.
He said, “It tells you the level of regard NLNG has for the people, if a project of mere N4.5bn could be discontinued; a school project at that, in an area they make billions of dollars.
“Our people are always at the receiving end, exposed to several health hazards. The environment has been totally debased, with the future at very grave risk. And when they make an effort to give back a very minute – very little of what they have ploughed – they make a big deal of it. That perpetual slavery attitude manifest.”