TheCable

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has promised to visit all oil producing communities in the Niger Delta, ruling out any concern about insecurity.

Osinbajo said this at a townhall meeting in Benin, Edo state capital, on Monday.

Some youth stormed the meeting after receiving reports that the acting president will not visit their communities.

This led to a temporary suspension of activities, but their leaders succeeded in pacifying them.

Addressing the aggrieved persons after normalcy was restored, Osinbajo explained that the closure of the Abuja airport, scheduled for 12 midnight on Wednesday, was behind the rescheduling of the visit.

“Our plan is to ensure that we visit all of the oil producing communities, and just as it was rightly said, we have stationed our helicopters at the airport in order to take us there,” he said.

“There is no issue of insecurity at all, I have been to other oil producing communities. What has happened is that the Abuja airport will be closed from tomorrow, we would not have enough time this time to visit all the communities.

“But the governor and I have agreed that we must pay a visit in order to visit each and every one of the communities, and we will do so.”

Osinabjo told the people that abandoned projects in the region will be reactivated, while defaulters will be prosecuted.

“I have looked at the issues of abandoned projects, and I  can tell you precisely, how much has been voted, and how much was spent in several of our oil communities, and there is no sign of development in those areas,” he said.

“I can tell you how many of these projects are supposed to have been completed, and when you look in the books, they say they have been completed, but they have not been completed; they have not been done, many have not even started at all.

“The people must see the benefit of the land. The elite everywhere, have very frequently deprived the people of the  opportunity to enjoy the fruit of the land, that is the Nigerian story.

“This  is something we must deal with. We cannot continue as if we do not know. The monies that have been spent on paper in this country is enough to develop many countries.”