It was a carnival today Thursday 28th february 2023, in Bane Community, the hometown of the late martyr and icon, Ken Saro-Wiwa, as the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) through the Rivers State Office of the Commission flagged off the installation of approximately 300 Hybrid Solar-powered Streetlights in the community.
The most performing Rivers State representative in the NDDC Governing Board, Chief Tony C Okocha KSC JP DSSRS, while on a courtesy call to the palace of the Gbenemene of Ken-Khana kingdom, HRM King Barile Yornah Deebom JP, posited that the 7th NDDC Governing Board, headed by the Chairman Barr. Ebie and the MD/CEO, Chief Ogbuku, found it worthy to light up Bane Community through to Ken Saro-Wiwa Memorial Park, in commemoration of the late icon, Ken Saro-Wiwa.
In his words ” The NDDC Chairman Barr Ebie Chiedu, our Managing Director, Chief Samuel Ogbuku and other members of the board are very intrested in taking development to the nooks and cranies of the Niger Delta Region, this is why we have come here today to light-up up Bane with hybrid lights. I can assure you that we will also give prompt attention to Bane community roads , so as to ease movement “.
Addressing the press after the official flag-off of the project, Chief Okocha emphasized ” the project is in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, in ensuring that the welfare of the people is prioritized. He thanked President Tinubu for constituting the 7th Governing Board of the NDDC with the best of the best , let me reassure Niger Deltans that the 7th NDDC Governing Board is poised to rewrite the history of NDDC by ensuring that the people of Niger Delta feel the impact of the Commission.”
The Gbenemene of Ken-Khana kingdom, HRM King Barile Yornah Deebom JP, in his ‘Thank You’ speech, commended the NDDC for this gesture. He specially thanked the representative of the state on the NDDC Board for this uncommon show of love to the Bane Community by bringing these huge projects to the community.
Others who spoke at the event, expressing gratitude and appreciation to the NDDC for the project, included the President of KAGOTE, Rt. Hon. Emmanuel Deeyah; the Chairman of Khana LGA, Dr. Thomas Bariere; environmental rights activist and chieftain of APC, Hon. Celestine AkpoBari; Hon. Mrs Caroline Nagbor and the elder brother of the late Ken Saro-Wiwa, Chief Harry Wiwa, among others. Highlight of the event was the observance of a minute of silence in honor of the departed icon, led by Chief Tony C Okocha KSC JP DSSRS.
Earlier in the day Chief Okocha visited with the community secondary school in Rumuekini built by a women organisation in the community. He was almost moved to tears because of the dilapidated facility where little children were learning, while speaking to the school authority, the Rivers NDDC Representative said ” I am quite saddened with what I have just seen , to say that the structures built by a women group of Rumuekini and handed over to Rivers State Government in 1995, has witnessed total dilapidations, is an understatement, I assure you that we will see how to support the school and improve learning conditions. Should there be an outbreak of disease that is contagious, we will lose a great number of students and this can not and shouldn’t happen , how can a class of 100 pupils learn on bare floor , well help will and has come “
