GBARAMATU VOICE

The Federal Government has said that communities that vandalise developmental projects will not have projects built in their communities again.

President Muhammadu Buhari said this on Wednesday, May 16 2019, when he kicked-off and handed over a shoreline protection and land reclamation project in Ekeremo Local Government Area of Bayelsa.

The president said that the project was built by the ecological funds office of the Federal Government for the Aleibiri community in the local government.

Represented by Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri, the Minister of State, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Buhari said that such acts of vandalism were unfriendly to growth and development of rural communities.

He pointed out recent looting of a skills acquisition centre by members of the community at Kaima in Kolokumo/Opokuma Local Government Area, prior to its inauguration.

“Henceforth, communities will not benefit from new projects from the Federal Government if they continue to vandalise or fail to take proper care of projects sited in their communities.

“But, communities that protect and take ownership of Federal Government projects sited in their communities will continue to attract more government attention in development projects allocation,’’ he said.

Buhari expressed concerns that in the past when projects are completed and commissioned, after a few months, such projects were usually vandalised by the same people whom the projects were to benefit.

“I have advised the beneficiaries of the projects we have commissioned today to own these projects, take these projects as their own.

“And if we hear that these projects are being vandalised, government will be very hesitant to provide more infrastructure for them again,’’ he said.