Tell Bayelsans what happened to Peremabiri Rice Farms, ex-militant leader tackles Igali

An ex- Militant Leader, Comrade Eris Paul (aka) General Ogunboss, has thrown jab on a former Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and governorship aspirant under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in the forthcoming Bayelsa State Governorship election, Dr. Godknows Boladei Igali, asking him to extricate himself from the seemingly abandoned Federal Government awarded Drainage and Farmland Reclamation Projects, allegedly awarded since 2010 to the office of former Permanent Secretary.

Our Bayelsa State Correspondent reports that Comrade Paul who has become critical on social media lately, queried, "this is a project of over half a billion naira from the Ministry of Water Resources since 2010 and Amb. Igali was directly responsible in terms of negotiations with the community, but this is 2019, the project is still in barren emptiness and smudged foundation. The project was to serve as major source of water supply to the Peremabiri Rice Farms from the River. These are people who are saying that they want to serve humanity and turn Yenagoa to Singapore or Dubai if they are elected as governor. Let Amb. Igali explain to Bayelsans what is still holding this project?”

The PDP Gubernatorial hopeful, Amb. Igali in his response, accused the ex-militant leader of embarking on a voyage to tarnish and drag his name to the mud, due to political differences.

According to Igali, the Drainage and Famland Reclamation Projects, was awarded to the Water Resources Ministry and was conceived on assumption of office as Permanent Secretary, during the administration of former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, but was abandoned by the Federal Government.

 ''I see that you are doing everything to drag my name to unnecessary controversy as you promised during the 2019 general elections. Unfortunately for you, I am never afraid to speak for myself.  Sadly, there are many young people who do not try to reason, but easily join to cheer very loud, whenever a senior person is being insulted. It’s too bad. My simple sin against you is the fact that, as a member of PDP, I supported Hon. Moses Marlon, now member of Bayelsa State House of Assembly, against your APC candidate, whom I also considered as a younger brother. You had then called me on phone and threatened to hurt me. Yes, you may be dreaded and known for violence, but I have kept quiet, because the power of life and death are in the hands of Jehovah God, the keeper of Israel. You have always taken to social media to write all manners of lies, blackmail and misinform people about me. Again, I continuously ignored you, because the power to lift up and down is beyond any human being, including you and l. I took over office as Permanent Secretary in May, 2010, when the budget had already been passed, but had to look for fund everywhere from the Federal System to commence, because I believe in the project.

Unlike other leaders, I never took the project to my nearby community, Enawari, which is also part of the rice belt, but Peremabiri, since it has better prospects. Contract was eventually awarded to a company by the ministerial tender’s board. The project was awarded to 1st Project Perspective Limited.  The Contractor's name is stated on the project signboard and details of ownership can be traced to Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC). In 2011 and 2012, I ensured sustainable funding for the project. At the beginning of 2013, I was transferred out of the Water Resources Ministry. It is sad that this my pet project is presently like 14,000 others abandoned by the Federal Government", Igali explained.

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