COMMUNIOUE ISSUED BY BONNY GENTLEMEN’S LEAGUE AT THE END OF A ONE-DAY OPEN FORUM/TOWN HALL MEETING AND HER 43D ANNUAL CONVENTION 1MANNUAL GENERAL MEETING (AGM) HELD IN BONNY ON SATURDAY 24 AND SUNDAY 25 DECEMBER, 2022, RESPECTIVELY

Bonny Gentlemen’s League herein-after referred to as the “The League” is a frontline Socio-Cultural organization of distinguished gentlemen of diverse professions and vocations, committed to the sustainable human, economic and physical development of Bonny Kingdom/Local Government Area. The League has also recently transformed into a community based Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) to operationalize its raison detre, including robust advocacy for public policy and good governance, and to leverage on partnerships towards the achievement of definitive goals for accelerated development at the grassroots level.

The League holds its Conventions in the last week of December every year and invites respected political and traditional leaders as well as captains of industry to give keynote addresses on the theme of the Convention. The synopsis of these addresses and events in the outgoing year in Bonny Local Government Area in particular, Rivers State and the Nation at large, which impact on the livelihoods of the average Bonny man and the Kingdom culminate in the development and publication/circulation of a Communique in the print and electronic media, and to various stakeholders in the Kingdom to reinforce the development agenda in the LGA.

Pursuant to this tradition, the League held a 2-day Event on Saturday 24th and Sunday 25th December, 2022 to mark its 43rd Annual Convention/1st Annual General Meeting (AGM). The Event was kick-started with an Open Forum/Town Hall Meeting on 24th December, 2022 with the Theme: “Fast-Tracking the Development of Bonny LGA through Synergies” and was rounded off with the 43rd Annual Convention/1st AGM on 26th December, 2022.

The Open Forum/Town Hall Meeting provided a veritable platform for aspirants who were vying for various political offices in the ongoing campaigns for 2023 elections, to showcase their manifestos/developmental blueprint to the electorate and how they intended to tackle the daunting challenges facing Bonny LGA in 2023 and beyond; while the theme- Fast-Tracking the Development of Bonny LGA through Synergies was particularly germane to advance the frontiers of the conversation on the development of the LGA in synergy with officials in appointive and elective positions of public trust.

At the end of the 2-day Event and after an exhaustive deliberation on all the issues, the League resolved as follows:

Chancellor, Bonny Gentlemen’s League (BGL), Olam Allwell-Brown

RESOLUTIONS:

The League applauded the Federal Government for Commencement of the NLNG Train 7 Project and urged the Consortium – SCD Joint Venture and all Train 7 Project contractors to ensure strict compliance with Community Content obligations as enshrined in the Local Content Act and the Project Memorandum of Understanding (PMOU) executed with the Bonny Local Content Compliance Committee (BKLCCC) in order to avoid restiveness in the Kingdom, industrial crisis on site and to enhance seamless project execution and delivery.

The League commended the Federal Government and NLNG on the spate of work on the ongoing Bodo-Bonny Road project and urged the construction company, Julius Berger Plc to maintain the momentum and ensure timely completion and delivery of the project to fast-track the development of Bonny Local Government Area and environs.

The League congratulated the Chairman and Members of the reconstituted Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and called on the Agency to revitalize the execution of the Bonny Ring Road Project in order to link the towns and satellite communities in Bonny East to the Metropolis and improve vital communication infrastructure and overall economy of the Local Government Area.

The League, decried the non-existence of a completed Rivers State Government project in Bonny Local Government Area under the current administration and wondered why the LGA had been so neglected, despite the huge economic contributions of the LGA to the National and State coffers. The League noted that the Bonny National Grammar School Upgrade project awarded by the State Government in its first tenure seemed to have been abandoned; the same story is also true for a shore protection project at Longjohn’s Compound in Abalamabie Community. The League, therefore, called on the Governor to exercise the fiat of his office to see that these projects are completed and commissioned before the end of his administration.

The League further implored the Governor to preferentially and speedily award some legacy projects, including the construction of internal roads in Bonny Metropolis and the dualization of the King William Dappa Pepple Road, Bonny (from Coal Beach to Shell gate) to compensate for the glaring infrastructure deficit in the LGA.

The League gave kudos to the Executive Chairman, Bonny Local Government Council, Hon. Dame Mrs. Anengi Barasua Claude-Wilcox for her laudable strides, especially, in the areas of Peace and Security in the Kingdom and tremendous reduction in the incidences of piracy on our waterways.

The League commended the Leaders and indeed members of the Bonny Legislative Council for hosting her in a courtesy visit during the year and called on the Assembly to expedite actions on the provision of legislative infrastructure for marine safety, security and high-risks retail businesses in Bonny LGA.

The League appreciated all stakeholders who attended the One Day Forum/Town Hall Meeting, particularly, the Executive Chairman of Bonny Local Government Council, Hon. Dame Mrs Anengi Barasua Claude-Wilcox, the Bonny Chiefs Council, Titled Citizens’ Assembly, Women and Youth groups, and all candidates of the various political parties who seized the opportunity to throw light on their manifestos. The League called on all contestants in the 2023 general elections to play according to the rules and ensure the sustenance of peace and unity in Bonny Local Government Area.

The League called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Security Agencies and other State Actors, to ensure a level playing field is provided for all contesting parties and candidates in the 2023 general elections and implored the people and residents of Grand Bonny to turn out en masse to exercise their civic responsibility during the elections.

The League saluted the Amanyanabo and Natural Ruler of Grand Bonny Kingdom, His Majesty, King Edward Asimini William Dappa Pepple III, Edward I, CON, DSSRS, Perekule XI; commended His Majesty for providing inspirational leadership in rejigging of the Bonny Kingdom Development Committee (BKDC) and for finding two Leaguites worthy to serve in the Committee as Chairman and Member, respectively.

The League commended the Chairman and the revered Se-Alapu of the Bonny Chiefs’ Council (BCC) for their unalloyed loyalty and traditional support provided His Majesty, the King, which had ensured a veritable traditional leadership for the Ancient Kingdom.

The League called for synergy amongst all Development Committees and Authorities in Bonny Kingdom to ensure a balanced and integrated approach in the development paradigm for Bonny: and implored the BKDC in particular, to seriously grant priorities to issues such as mass drainage Master plan, Waste Management plan and Town planning, which have become pertinent with the Bodo-Bonny Road Project coming to fruition.

The League beseeched the Bonny Local Content Compliance Committee (BKLCCC) and the Bonny Integrated Recruitment Committee (BIRC) to work in synergy and ensure the impactful delivery of Train 7 project business and employment opportunities to the people of Grand Bonny.

At the end of the 43rd Annual Convention, the League elected a new set of Executive Officers to pilot the affairs of the League for the next two years (2023-2024). Those elected were:

Amaopusenibo Olam Allwell-Brown – Chancellor.

Dr Victor I. Jumbo – Registrar

Mr. Alexander I. Wilcox – Deputy Registrar

Amasenibo Ibietonye Benjamin – Director of Finance

Amasenibo Anthony Fombo – Director of Exchequer

Sir Tonye Ekong – Director of Publicity

Mr. Fiabema Hailsham – Director of Soclals/Welfare

Mr. Ethelbert Oko-Jumbo – Chief Whip

Amaopusenibo Dagogo A. Hart – Ex-Officio

Amaopusenibo Barr. Torudoghubo D. Jamaica, Chairman, Current and National Affairs Committee

Dr. Victor Ibigoni Jumbo, Registrar

Amaopusenibo (Squadron Leader) Olam AllwelI-Brown (Rtd.), JP. Chancellor