TheCable

The Nigeria LNG Limited says it had signed an agreement with the federal government and Julius Berger for the construction of Bonny Island-Bodo road, a project is budgeted to cost N120.6 billion.

According to a statement sent to TheCable, the project is the largest corporate social responsibility initiative ever undertaken by a private company in Nigeria.

“At a ceremony to formalise the partnership, NLNG agreed to provide 50% counterpart funding, amounting to N60.3 billion, to boost safe travels and socio-economic activities in the region through the road,” the statement read in part.

“The 34 kilometre road will help address the twin challenges of poverty and unemployment as well as improve the lives of people of the region, especially those from Bonny, Ogoni, Okrika, Eleme, Andoni, and other communities in the Niger Delta.

“The federal government efforts to build the road had been hampered for decades, largely by funding and contractor issues, causing NLNG to intervene especially because of the criticality of the road to residents of Bonny Island, who daily brave the vagaries of the sea to travel to the mainland.”

According to the statement, the agreement was signed by representatives of the three parties.

Tony Attah, NLNG’s managing director, Babatunde Fashola, minister of works, power and housing, and Wolfgang Goesh, Julius Berger’s managing director, signed the agreement.

“This for Nigeria LNG is part of our effort to contribute to the advancement of the Niger Delta. More importantly for us as a company, our contribution to the project will lead to the accomplishment of the dream of connecting Bonny Island to the rest of Rivers State by road and not only by sea,” Attah said.

“Our greater joy is that the road will ease the plight of people of Bonny Island, the community that has amicably hosted the NLNG Plant and operations for so long. Over the years, our love for our host community had compelled us to open up our strictly business sea vessels to accommodate members of the community, and their visitors, and save them from the hazards of the sea to the best of our ability.

“If you have kept track of our business principles and all our CSR activities, you will by now be convinced that we have kept our promise to help build a better Nigeria and especially our host communities in the Niger Delta region.”

Commenting on the partnership with NLNG, Fashola commended NLNG saying, “NLNG has stepped up as a unique example of the constructive role the private sector can play in national development. This project represents a defining moment in government’s determination to strengthen and improve the quality of life in the Niger Delta which holds so much of the country’s resources”.