The Bonny Kingdom Development Committee (BKDC) has expressed its appreciation to owners of impacted properties on the right of way of the road expansion project by the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG) in Bonny, Rivers State for their cooperation.   

This is coming on the heels of commencement of compensation payments for the project, which is the expansion of the road from Shell gate to Coal Beach and Amaomu Junction to the King Perekule Palace.  

In an interview with Kristina Reports during the presentation of cheques to impacted property owners on Wednesday, January 22, 2025, a member of the Committee, Biekpo Chapp-Jumbo thanked the property owners and all other stakeholders for their cooperation, noting that the project would benefit everyone.  

“We thank all of us – we are all Bonny people – and this is for our own good, development and progress, and we are all committed to it. “

He urged the beneficiaries of the compensation to continue to cooperate with the Committee, NLNG and Julius Berger, stressing that their cooperation was critical to the success of the project, clarifying that the payments will be made in batches.

“We should keep it up and ensure that as you get your money, you give way. Today is the D-Day, 22nd of January 2025 is the day that those properties that were affected to take their cheques. Today is batch A and it is a continuous exercise.”

He, however, clarified that those who still had disagreements among themselves will only be paid when they resolve their issues and provide a joint account wherein their payment would be paid, urging them to fast-track the resolution of their differences.   

“The only people that will not collect are those that have issues with their properties such as families, siblings that are not able to agree.

“Those that are able to set up a common account number; for those who cannot they will not be paid. We will wait until such matters are sorted.””

Some of the property owners who received their payments on Wednesday thanked the BKDC for ensuring the process was seamlessly coordinated, as well as running a broad-based engagement process, expressing the gratitude to the Amanyanabo of Bonny Kingdom and the NLNG for making the payments a reality.

One of them, Smart Tobin told Kristina Reports that the process had run seamlessly so far, applauding the people management and strategic engagement skills of the Chairman and members of the BKDC, which he said was pivotal to the success of the process.

“My property was marked for demolition, it was impacted by the road expansion project which the Kingdom has proposed with the sponsorship of Nigeria LNG Ltd. The process, thus far, has been very transparent, BKDC has carried the community along, right from the onset there has been a high level of engagement with stakeholders since last year and also recently there has been community engagement to let people know what is happening.”

“People are very happy with BKDC with the way and manner they have gone about this exercise and today we are here to receive the compensation for our properties that were impacted and you can see that the process has been very orderly. It has been very peaceful. People have conducted themselves in a very orderly manner.”

“So, I will give kudos to BKDC and his Royal Majesty for making sure that the people whose properties are impacted are also duly compensated even in this time of the economic hardship. I want to appreciate the King of Bonny, His Royal Majesty, and BKDC for the wonderful work they have done, and Nigeria LNG for agreeing to do this project for the community and also pay the compensation.”

On her part, another property owner, Sophia James-Ate expressed gratitude to God Almighty, the BKDC and NLNG for the payments, promising her cooperation and that of her family to ensure the project succeeds.

“I am thankful to God for giving BKDC the strength and ability to work on this and making this possible for the NLNG to give us compensation. I thank everyone of them in BKDC for all their efforts.”

Also speaking, another property owner, Florence Peters said she keyed into the appeal by the BKDC to make sacrifices for the development of Bonny Kingdom, pointing out that her cooperation and support for the Committee was driven by communal patriotism.

“I am a Bonny woman and I love my kingdom and I accept to make this sacrifice for my Kingdom; to see Bonny well developed, well organized, is my joy.”  

“I’m happy with whatever that is given to me as a woman that loves my place, the Kingdom, and let them do the job, let them develop the place. It’s for our own good, it’s for the good of Bonny.”  

The Bonny Kingdom Development Committee (BKDC), which is the coordinating institution for development across Bonny Kingdom under the leadership of its Chairman, Amairigha Hart, is managing the interface between the project sponsor, NLNG, and project implementer, Julius Berger Plc, and Bonny community.

With the commencement of payment of compensation to the impacted property owners, there is optimism that the project would soon get off the ground.