… Backs Tinubu on relocation of agencies to Lagos
Nathan Tamarapreye, Yenagoa
The governorship candidate of Labour Party (LP) in the Nov 2023 governorship poll in Bayelsa, Mr. Udengs Eradiri, has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to order relocation of some critical oil-related agencies to the Niger Delta region.
Eradiri, a former President of Ijaw Youths Council (IYC), hailed President Tinubu for approving the relocation of key commercial agencies from Abuja to Lagos State.
Eradiri, a former Commissioner in Bayelsa, in a statement on Wednesday, said decongesting Abuja, which he described as the political capital of the country was long overdue.
He observed that some of the agencies being moved to Lagos particularly key agencies of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) had no business being in Abuja.
Eradiri said: “Lagos is the commercial capital of Nigeria and key commercial agencies, parastatals and other trade-related establishments of the Federal Government should be in Lagoa.
“They are supposed to have their headquarters in Lagos State to facilitate smooth business operations and ensure the ease of doing business in the country.
“Nobody should read any political dimension to it because in the first place, they were not supposed to be in Abuja. We should not play politics with some decisions because the government got this one spot on”.
Eradiri, however, appealed to Tinubu to relocate key oil-related establishments and agencies owned by the Federal Government to the Niger Delta region.
He called on the President to compel the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to move headquarters of some of its subsidiaries to the capital cities of some states in the Niger Delta.
He said cities such as Yenagoa in Bayelsa, Port Harcourt in Rivers, Uyo in Akwa Ibom, and Asaba in Delta among others were ready to become hosts of such agencies and to ensure adequate security for them.
He said such a move would improve the economy of the region, stimulate job opportunities, reduce insecurity and facilitate the wealth redistribution agenda of President Tinubu.
He said: “We recall that during the visit of Yemi Osibanjo in his capacity as an acting President, he promised that the federal government would compel oil multinationals to relocate their offices to the Niger Delta region.
“However, throughout the lifespan of that administration, that promise was not fulfilled.
“We know that a new sheriff is in town with a new and unique way of doing things. The new government believes in decentralization and even development.
“In the spirit of the ongoing decongestion of the Capital Territory, we appeal to the President to remember the Niger Delta by compelling NNPCL to send headquarters of their subsidiaries to the region.
“It will facilitate the development of our region and give all communities a sense of belonging. It will also stop incessant attacks on oil facilities by persons, who feel sidelined by the operations of oil companies in our region.”