Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, has said President Buhari loves Ijaw people because the former President Good luck Jonathan willingly allowed one of the peaceful transitiona ever witnessed in the history of Nigeria.
Sylva described the love Buhari has for the people of Ogbia, an Ijaw subgroup in Bayelsa State, as “exceptional”.
He said this on yesterday while inspecting the ongoing construction of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Park Scheme (NOGaPS) being constructed by the Nigeria Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) at Emeyal 1, Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa state.
He said: “President Muhammadu Buhari specially loves Ogbia people and that I can tell you for free. Buhari loves the Ogbia people because Goodluck Jonathan, who was President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, willingly allowed one of the most peaceful transitions in Nigeria.
“So, you can see that one of the roads the President is building in Nigeria, Sukuk Road, is in Ogbia territory, leading to the community of Goodluck Jonathan.”
The minister also commended Ogbia youth for being peaceful and urged them to keep the disposition, adding that they would achieve a lot for being peaceful.
Describing the level and quality of the job done so far at the NOGaPS site as satisfactory, the minister said when completed, the project would generate over 2,000 jobs.
He noted that Buhari was aware that only the creation of jobs could solve the problems of the oil-rich Niger Delta region.
Speaking earlier, the Executive Secretary of the NCDMB, Simbi Wabote, said MegaStar Construction Company Nigeria Limited is responsible for infrastructure projects in the site while OK Sokariari and Sons is handling the road construction.
