The crowd surged towards him, and not in love! And he flees, quickly without his garbage speech" YOU CAN HAVE YOUR RESOURCE CONTROL, BUT I WILL BE RESOURCE MANAGER"

He meant resource MISMANAGER. The Guradian On-Line - http://ngrguardinannews.com
Sunday, January 20, 2002.

Mixed Grill As Obasanjo Concludes Delta Visit

FROM SUNNY OGEFERE AND CHIDO OKAFOR

PRESIDENT Olusegun Obasanjo's three-day visit to Delta State was concluded at the weekend with some form of rowdiness occasioned by poor crowd control in Warri and necessity to painfully explain government's stand on the state of the most important input in the productive sector--electricity.

President Obasanjo in Asaba promised Nigerians further improvement in the electricity generated by the National Electric Power Authority (NEPA).

Speaking at an inter-active session with selected artisans, traders and the common man at the Presidential Lodge, the president said that the electricity generated would be increased from the current 4,000 megawatts to 5,000 megawatts by the end of December 2002.

He said that though the government has not reached the promised land on the supply of electricity to Nigerians, the government has established that it was possible to provide adequate and stable power supply to the people.

He admitted that the problem of electricity was beyond generation, adding that the government still has to contend with transmission and distribution.

He said that obsolete equipment and vandalisation were part of the problems but promised that these problems would be surmounted gradually.

Meanwhile, Obasanjo yesterday commissioned the 33KV overhead line completed by the Delta State government in Patani thereby connecting the community, the first in Ijaw land, to the national grid.

The project which started in 1990 was completed recently by the James Ibori administration at a cost of N55.31 million. Of this amount, N23.7 million was used to restore vandalised parts of the project between Ohoro and Ughelli.

In Warri, poor crowd control resulted in a stampede and an unceremonious departure of president from the township stadium.

The president after commissioning the first phase of the stadium complex climbed a stand to address the large crowd. He was accompanied by the state governor, Chief James Ibori. However what seemed like an appraisal of the situation by the presidential security operatives made the president and his host beat a quick retreat from the arena.

Even as the president and Ibori descended the stairs of the stand, the crowd surged after them resulting in some form of stampede as the crowd sought to catch a glimpse of the nation' number one citizen.

The resultant confusion left the president with no alternative than to leave the township stadium without addressing the people of Warri.

Also there were pockets of protest by some anti-Ibori protesters who carried banners around the Warri stadium complex.

Earlier at the palace of the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atunwatse II, Obasanjo advised Deltans to be law abiding and supportive of government, as "government is doing every thing to better the lives of the ordinary people".