5th March, 2016
Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt
The Olu of Warri, Ogiame Ikenwoli, has called for the cooperation of Itsekiri youths and other stakeholders as an American firm plans to build a $50 million Modular Refinery at Koko, headquarters of Warri North Local Government Area, Delta State.
An Itsekiri leader and Delta State Chairman of Host Communities of Nigeria (HOSTCOM), Comrade Benjamin Iwetan made the disclosure in Warri, Delta State, during a special meeting of Itsekiri youths from various Itsekiri Communities convened by the Youth President HOSTCOM, Itsekiri Ethnic Nationality, Mr. Itse Omajugho at the behest of the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Ikenwoli.
While noting that the American investors are planning to build the modular refinery on 600 acres of land already given out in Koko, Comrade Iwetan stated that the Olu of Warri does not want actions that will discourage investors in Iwere land, saying the project will engage thousands of Itsekiris and several others.
Our correspondent reports that the Warri monarch in his message tasked Itsekiri youths to create the enabling environment for the modular refinery project as well as other projects in Itsekiri land to be actualized, just as he warned against disruption of development projects in his domain.
The Senior Special Assistant to Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa on Youths Development, Comrade Hope George in his remarks at the meeting, described the Itsekiri people as pace setters and revealed that the state government has earmarked N1 billion for the construction of internal roads in Ode-Itsekiri (Big Warri), Warri South Local Government Area in the 2016 budget.