By Onome Oghenetega
There are moves by leaders of Ndokwa ethnic nationality to lobby President Muhammadu Buhari into signing the bill establishing Federal Polytechnic Kwale in Delta State into law in what seems to be fresh attempts to block the recently passed bill establishing Federal Polytechnic Orogun.
The eighth National Assembly had passed the bill establishing a federal polytechnic in Kwale but was not assented to by President Buhari.
The bill was sponsored by the senator representing Delta North Senatorial District, Mr Peter Nwaoboshi.
But the Deputy President of the Senate and the senator representing Delta Central, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege under the current ninth National Assembly introduced a fresh bill before the senate for the establishment of a Federal Polytechnic, Orogun.
Omo-Agege’s bill was passed by the National Assembly after public hearing under one month. The bill is now awaiting Buhari’s assent.
Orogun in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State is the hometown of the Deputy Senate President, Omo-Agege.
However, rising from its General Assembly, the Ndokwa people under the aegis of Ndokwa Neku Union (NNU) resolved to constitute a committee to mobilise logistics to ensure they lobbying the presidency for the President’s assent.
ALSO READ: Senate Passes Bill Establishing Federal Poly Orogun, Delta
President-General of the Ndokwa apex socio-cultural body, Johnson Ossai Opone who read the communiqué said a delegation of Ndokwa stakeholders will soon pay a visit to President Buhari and Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State with a view to addressing the issue of lack of public tertiary institutions in Ndokwa land despite their enormous contributions to the nation’s economy.
According to Opone, the General Assembly also resolved that all Ndokwa people both home and abroad, should commence “a process to fund their own modular refinery which must be operated on commercial basis with private equity ownership under joint venture with established companies of good reputation.”
Opone urged all government functionaries to always interface with NNU executive on all matters relating to the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) for proper synergy, adding that a data bank of qualified graduates will be created to enable Ndokwa people take advantage of opportunities from PAP.
He added that the assembly resolved that Ndokwa people should “follow up with Federal Government to ensure that whenever a new NDDC board is considered, an Ndokwa man should be considered first.
“That Ndokwa people should form a strong and viable lobbying force that will greatly attract federal and state appointments to our people.”
On health, the assembly called on Ndokwa people to join hands together to ensure that modern health facilities for the communities by government, adding that “our legislators should help initiate bills to improve on the health facilities across Ndokwa nation.”
While appreciating the state government for all roads constructed across Ndokwa nation, Opone hinted that a delegation will be sent to Governor Okowa as well as interventionist agencies including NDDC and DESOPADEC to discuss the issue of priority road projects in the area.
