The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has restated President Muhammadu Buhari’s determination to change the story of the Niger Delta region from decades-long decay in infrastructure to that of access to services and infrastructural development.
Akpabio stated this when he met with the Charge ‘d’ Affaires of the Embassy of Ireland to Nigeria, Mr. Conor Finn and his team who paid him a courtesy visit in Abuja on Thursday.
A statement issued by the Director, Press and Public Relations, Patricia Deworitshe, said the minister noted that the people of the Niger Delta region have had to bear with violence and deprivation since 1956 when oil was first discovered in Oloibiri, Bayelsa State.
The former Akwa Ibom State governor said pollution in most areas was so serious that it destroyed aquatic life, which should be a source of livelihood for the people, noting that what led to militancy was the attitude and method of operations adopted by the international oil companies (IOCs).
The IOCs, he said, displayed insensitivity and lack of corporate social responsibility, which led to the people being sidelined.
He said: “The present administration even when working under very difficult circumstances is doing everything to alleviate the peoples suffering and the first thing that must change is the attitude, not just of the IOC’S, but also of the people because they are part of the problem.
“So, there must be a change of attitude from that of receiving tokenism to that of insisting on access to development and services.”
The minister who has also been on the frontline of engaging stakeholders in ensuring sustainable peace within the region said things were definitely going to change.
Charge d’ Affaires of the Embassy of Ireland to Nigeria, Mr. Finn commended the minister and his team for the ongoing efforts at repositioning the Niger Delta and curbing extremism within the region.
He assured that the Irish will continue to partner with the ministry to provide sustainable development for the region and the country as a whole, stressing the need to improve services and infrastructure.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs (MNDA), Dr. Babayo Ardo said the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs was established in 2008 by the late President Musa Yar’Adua basically as an interventionist ministry to enhance the development strides in the Niger Delta region.
He stated that since the assumption of office by Akpabio, all efforts had been directed to ensure that the mandate of the ministry was not only realised through effective coordination and harmonisation of the action plans, but to also create synergy in the activities of stakeholders in realising development in the region.
Ardo said: “We are working together to actualise all the deliverables particularly in the areas of women empowerment initiatives, skills acquisition by youths to provide basic skills and means of livelihood for that segment of the population.
“The completion of 346km East-West Road is our priority and other projects that have been completed are slated for commissioning soon.”
