Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), the apex socio-cultural group in the South-South of Nigeria, has warned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu not to scrap the Ministry of Niger Delta.
This is coming in the wake of the assignment of portfolios to ministers-designate without a mention of the Niger Delta ministry by the Tinubu-led Federal Government during the week.
Arising from an emergency meeting of the Board of Trustees (BoT) and National Executive Committee held in Abuja, leaders of PANDEF reminded the Federal Government the reasons behind the creation of the ministry by the late former President Umaru Yar’Adua in 2008 which has been sustained in the successive regimes that followed.
“(We) remind Mr President that the Ministry of Niger Delta was created, specifically, to “focus on infrastructural development, environmental protection and empowerment of youths in the oil-rich Niger Delta region”, which continues to be greatly impacted by the oil and gas industry, and remains the live-wire of the national economy,” the group emphasised.
In the communique signed by Chief Edwin Clark, National Leader; and Senator Emmanuel Ibok Essien, National Chairman, the group, which had other members of the Board of Trustees, as well as National and State Officers in attendance, expressed shock that in the published assignment of ministers to their various cabinet portfolios, there was none designated for the existing Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs.
The group, in the adopted communique, therefore, “Cautions that any misguided step toward SCRAPPING OR SUBMERGING the Ministry will create an unfavorable environment with adverse consequences.
“Further cautions the Federal Government to desist from tampering with any institution(s), which along with the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, have been flagship institution(s), to ensure peace and development in the Niger Delta region.
“We are hopeful that the federal government will be properly advised on this matter, even as we reiterate the commitment of the leadership of PANDEF and the people of the region to enduring the reign of peace and stability in the overall interest of country.”
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