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Emenike Ogar

Shortly after Mr Umana Okon Umana, the Honourable Minister for Niger Delta Affairs, assured the people of Akwa Ibom State of the Ministry’s readiness to commission the Ibeno Skill Acquisition Centre before the first quota of 2023, his Minister for State in the Ministry, Barrister Sharon Ikeazor, has also disclosed plan to hand over the Skill Acquisition Center at Abaezi-Egbema, Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area, Imo state to the Imo State Government within the same time frame.

The Minister of State for the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs (MNDA) made this known in Owerri, the Imo State Capital, during a tour of the Ministry’s intervention projects in Imo and Abia states.

Barrister Ikeazor said the Ministry’s readiness and commitment is borne out of the fact that “the Skill Acquisition Centre in Imo State was designed for specialized training of our youths in commerce for the economic development of the Niger Delta region. We are satisfied with the volume and quality of work at the facility. This facility would be commissioned and handed over to the Imo State Government before the end of February 2023.”

Explaining further, Barrister Ikeazor, said “We are waiting for approval from the Presidency to enable the Polytechnic at Nekede use the facility as one of its campuses. At the same time, we are also engaging the Imo State Government to see how we can put the facility to good use.”

Among the Ministry’s projects inspected and others commissioned were the Skill Acquisition Center (Abaezi-Egbema), Civil Center (Nwaorieubi), and the Commissioning of the Rehabilitated Okuala Igurunta Road in Imo State.

Others included “Skill Acquisition Center at Owazza, Ukwa East, Construction of Ntigha Umuopara Amuzu Akanu Ohanze Isiala Road, Umuelem -Leru -Ngada -Lokpanta Road in Umunneochi L.G.A, Erosion Site at Umuelem Umunneochi L.G.A in Abia State, which are at various levels of completion or awaiting commissioning and handing over to the communities.”

The Minister of State commended the contractors for keeping the facility safe from being vandalized after 12 years of its completion while the Skill Acquisition Center at Owazza Ukwa East is at 58 per cent completion.

Barrister Ikeazor also said the projects were achieved because of the collaboration with the State Governments in the Niger Delta region, Critical Stakeholders, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and State Representatives.

At the commissioning of the Rehabilitated Okuala, Iguruta Road (Phase 1), the Minister of State said: “In line with the mandate of the Ministry to promote sustainable development, peace and economic prosperity of the Niger Delta region through the development of infrastructure such as good road network, the Federal Executive Council approved the award of the 17.5km roads project (Phase 1) the road was awarded in phases due to its peculiarities while the other section of the road is being constructed by another tier of government.”

The Abaezi-Egbema Skill Acquisition Center project is handled by Messrs Thick Engineering Nig. Ltd (Lot 1), Messrs Segos Energy Services Ltd (Lot 2), Messrs Topaz Flaire Nig. Ltd. (Lot 3) contains an Administrative Block, Commerce Block, ICT Block, Conference Hall, Warehouse, Male and Female Hostels, Detached and Semi-detached Duplexes with Boys Quarters, Indoor Sports Hall among others.