NewStats: 3,264,178 , 8,182,877 topics. Date: Tuesday, 10 June 2025 at 04:13 AM 4h2g1v

The ongoing construction of the federal government’s multi-billion Naira “Renewed Hope” Bio-Methanol Pilot Plant in Akpugo, Enugu State, has been halted by the Chairmen of Nkanu West and Nkanu East Local Governments, Mr. John Ogbodo and Mr. Sidney Edeh, respectively.

Reports indicate that the two council leaders, accompanied by police officers, visited the construction site over the weekend, where they allegedly arrested construction workers and confiscated batteries from the machinery used for the installation of the plant. These actions caused a disruption of work at the site.

In a phone interview, Nkanu West LGA Chairman, Ogbodo, denied the incident, while his counterpart in Nkanu East did not respond to inquiries. Enugu Police Spokesman, Daniel Ndukwe, also stated that he was unaware of the situation.

However, an official from the Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN), a federal agency under the Ministry of Innovation, Science, and Technology, confirmed that the council chairmen, accompanied by the police, halted the construction activities.

The plant, which is valued at over N40 billion, is the first of its kind in West Africa and was introduced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the people of the Southeast.

The Energy Commission alleged that Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah had directed the police to arrest the contractors working on the project.

Those detained included Ambrose Edeh, Chibuike Edeh, Monday Nwodo, Obinna Samuel, Ebuka Chukwurah, Chibuike Okereke, and Maduabuchi Okoro.

The workers were initially detained at the RRS Government House in Enugu, before being moved to the Anti-Kidnapping section of the State CID. The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, intervened and ordered the immediate release of the detainees.

Once operational, the N40 billion bio-methanol plant is expected to address many of Nigeria’s and Africa’s industrial needs. Along with a similar N60 billion Solar PV project for solar production, both initiatives are among the largest in the Southeast and are key to President Tinubu’s istration’s development efforts.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2024/12/council-chairmen-halt-fgs-n40bn-methanol-plant-project-in-enugu/

Energy commission accuses Enugu government of methanol project disruption

The Energy Commission of Nigeria has raised the alarm about the police arrest of its workers at the construction site of the multi-billion Naira “Renewed Hope” Bio-Methanol Pilot Plant located at Akure, in the Nkanu West Local Area of the state.

The commission, an agency under the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, while briefing journalists in Enugu on Sunday, said the arrest of construction workers happened on Friday, and police in Enugu State have refused to release them.

An official of the Commission, Mr E. Okeke, who briefed journalists, accused the state government of being behind the arrest, adding that work had stopped at the site.

Okeke stated that the police, following the alleged directives of the state governor, Peter Mbah, invaded the site and arrested seven construction workers.

The methanol plant, said to be worth more than N40 billion, is the first of its kind in West Africa and was personally brought by President Bola Tinubu for the people of the South East and sited in Nkanuland, which is the homeland of Governor Peter Mbah and Uche Nnaji, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology.

He said that the police stormed the site in the company of the council chairmen of Nkanu East and Nkanu West and arrested the workers.

Okeke gave the names of those arrested as Ambrose Edeh, Chibuike Edeh, Monday Nwodo, Obinna Samuel, Ebuka Chukwurah, Chibuike Okereke, and Maduabuchi Okoro.

He said, “The police officers also removed batteries of the earth-moving machines at the site, in order to stall the construction activities.
“The construction workers arrested were detained briefly at RRS Govt House Enugu and later moved to Anti Kidnapping section at Independence Layout, Enugu and around midnight moved to State CID.”

However, when higher federal government authorities were ed, they made unsuccessful attempts to reach the officials of the Nigerian police at Enugu.
But when they ed the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, he quickly swung into action and ordered the immediate release of the detainees.

Sources around the local government told journalists that Nkanu leaders were angry with the action of the state government for trying to frustrate federal government investment in their land.

The land where the project was located was properly donated to the federal government by the community for the project, according to leaders of the community, who displayed a document to that effect.

The N40 billion Naira bio methanol project, when operational, is expected to solve most of the industrial needs of Nigeria and Africa.
It is also one of the biggest projects in the entire South-East by President Bola Tinubu’s istration.

One of the elders of the host community, Chief John Ogbodo, who spoke to journalists at the site, said that it was obvious action of the state government was politically motivated since the project was attracted by Chief Uche Nnaji, the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Enugu State during the 2023 general elections.

The methanol project, in addition to a similar project, the N60 billion Solar PV project (for production of solar s) also attracted to the area by the minister, has the combined capacity to provide employment to tens of thousands of Enugu state youths and change the economy of Enugu and the South East in general.

Some community elders alleged that it was obvious the state government was glittery and hence wanted to frustrate the projects because of the likely impact come 2027.

Efforts by our correspondent to speak with the Enugu State Police Command on the incident were unsuccessful as the command’s spokesperson, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, did not take his calls or respond to a text seeking his comment.

Also, the executive chairman of Nkanu West LGA, John Ogbodo, who reportedly led the police to arrest the construction workers did not take his calls when ed and had yet to respond to text messages seeking his comment.

Efforts to get a reaction from the senior special assistant to the governor on media, Mr Dan Nwaome, were unsuccessful as he did not take his calls. At the time of filing this report, he was yet to respond to a text message seeking his comment.

https://punchng.com/energy-commission-accuses-enugu-of-methanol-project-disruption/

Sensational headline

This story sounds incomplete. We expect to hear from the council chairmen.

The report failed to give us the reason for the detention..it's important to enable us make informed comments.

mairogo:
The report failed to give us the reason for the detention..it's important to enable us make informed comments.

Should there be an arrest in the first place? On a FG project? The National Assembly should get to the bottom of this before siting projects in hostile communities.

FG should please bring the project to Lagos state abeg. We will recieve them with tremendous joy and give the project all the it needs to succeed phenomenally.

May God bless Nigeria for ever!

If true and i was in Tinubu's shoes, i will simply go there and level any living thing in that locality.

I sense a political stunt

Its possible that Tinubu' govt must have orchestrated this display to get an excuse to abandon the project.

NinjaMetahuman:


He initiated the project to begin with.

Open your eyes, they can intiate project, map out funds, cause chaos to abandon the project, then siphon the mapped out fund.

This is Southeast ,

Can Tinubu build any infrastructure at the southeast?

What if the arrest has nothing to do with the project?

However, the enugu people should look at the bigger picture and stop bekng stupid

Hmmmmm....

I just hope it's not the usual issue of settling land owners before work commence.

Noted.

CodeTemplar:
If true and i was in Tinubu's shoes, i will simply go there and level any living thing in that locality.

Mtchewww for what?

LG want to collect developmental levy it is the worst norm in Nigeria.
Or the project is being done by strong opposition to the state government, the will frustrate the project.

This region no ready at all

Super-clowns

Bring the project to Ibadan, there is enough land and security for the people.


Later we will start hearing marginalization.

The truth is, the President is spreading major projects across the country silently. However, it is disturbing that any project in the southeast always generates protests and rancour. This kind of projects would be jealousy guarded in the North, SW and SS. If the FG decided to cancel these projects, what will you do?, cry marginalization all over again?


-Kiss the truth!

Enugu governor.. over to you.

Come and talk your own.

TimeManager:


https://www.vanguardngr.com/2024/12/council-chairmen-halt-fgs-n40bn-methanol-plant-project-in-enugu/

.

Get all of them arrested.

APC don start their propaganda; the craft they do better than governance. This is just another propaganda article from them.

Imagine Enugu State Governor who is desperate to develop the state arresting those working on a #40 billion project financed by the FG. I trust the government to issue its reder soon.

If southeast don't want the project, they should move it to Southwest

Government should have no business in doing business.

Nigeria government is a corrupt establishment

How can a community donate land directly to FG without input or authorization from the state Governor.
That is manifestly Illegal.

NOC1:


Mtchewww for what?

For working against the good of the public.

Mbah get vision for Enugu!

He go soon sort it out!

Mbalishious! I just like that gov.

FreeStuffsNG:
Should there be an arrest in the first place? On a FG project? The National Assembly should get to the bottom of this before siting projects in hostile communities.

FG should bring the project to Lagos state abeg. We will recieve them with tremendous noy and give the project all the it needs to succeed phenomenally.

May God bless Nigeria for ever!

Attachee by force,why not Ibadan,ondo,ekiti? Why not Oshogbo in Osun state?

SMH

UHLmoving:
I sense a political stunt

Its possible that Tinubu' govt must have orchestrated this display to get an excuse to abandon the project.

FreeStuffsNG:
Should there be an arrest in the first place? On a FG project? The National Assembly should get to the bottom of this before siting projects in hostile communities.

FG should bring the project to Lagos state abeg. We will recieve them with tremendous noy and give the project all the it needs to succeed phenomenally.

May God bless Nigeria for ever!

So you think arrest can be effected without a corresponding effect?.

Take the project to Lagos of that would give you and your people peace

This story no just clear, but some animals that think from other parts of their body rather than their head are already spewing trash!

Propaganda everywhere!

UncleAyo:
Bring the project to Ibadan, there is enough land and security for the people.


Later we will start hearing marginalization.

So that you can mine the heads of the workers 😁😁😁

D news doesn't make sense. Something is not adding up.

UHLmoving:
I sense a political stunt

Its possible that Tinubu' govt must have orchestrated this display to get an excuse to abandon the project.

ediot,

He initiated the project to begin with.