The National Council on Niger Delta (NCND) has approved that the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs (MNDA) and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) assist the Ondo State Government to establish Araromi Seaside Deep Sea Port at Olokola Free Trade Zone.
This is just as the Council also approved the development of a regional policy to address the menace of black soot and other air pollution-induced activities.
This is contained in a Communiqué issued at the end of the 5th Meeting of the National Council on Niger Delta recently held in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
Also, the Council approved the establishment of Medical Waste Incinerators and Thermal Desorption Units (TDU) by the Nine (9) States to facilitate treatments of hazardous medical and industrial wastes, the establishment of pilot programmes for water hyacinth/invasive water weeds by the MNDA and NDDC in collaboration with Private sector in selected communities impacted by its proliferation.
Furthermore, the Council approved “the establishment of Private sector driven Ferry Services in the riverine states to complement road transport, the intervention of MNDA/NDDC and other IOCs in the Region in the provision of infrastructural facilities to the Port Harcourt International Trade Complex.
The Communiqué further stated that the Council urged “the MNDA and the NDDC to engage relevant Stakeholders in the Gas Industry and canvass for the modification of the NLNG Train 7 Project design to accommodate the creation of a South-South Gas Node’.
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The MNDA was also urged to propose an Executive bill to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) to amend Section 103 and 104 of the PIA to facilitate the remittance of Gas Flare Penalty into a Trust Fund, for ease of administration.
Local and international investors operating in the region, as well as State Governments, were asked to submit viable proposals for more road projects geared at embracing Executive Order 7 of 2019 on Road Infrastructure Development Scheme in the Niger Delta Region in line with the current Medium-Term Plan 2021-2025 of the Federal Government.
The Council further urged “the MNDA, NDDC and the Nine (9) States in the Region to complement the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs on its programmes for rural women in the Niger Delta region such as Liquefied Petroleum Gas use, Economic Tree Planting Programme, improved Agribusiness and financial inclusion to mitigate the adverse effect of climate change in the Niger Delta Region.
“The MNDA and the Nine (9) States in the Region to evolve a policy framework for holistic stakeholder’s approach towards the conservation and protection of the Niger Delta rainforest, mangrove swamp and endangered flora and fauna species, the Nine (9) States in the Region to cooperate and commit to the implementation of the Uniform Addressing System Programme of the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs;
“The Nine (9) States in the Region to prioritise investments and support for agriculture to encourage dry season farming through irrigation, modern farming methods, and access of arable lands to avert threats to food security;
“The MNDA and other relevant stakeholders to collaborate and develop a security framework for participatory incident reporting to strengthen rural-urban security in the Niger Delta Region; and the MNDA and the Nine (9) States in the Region to initiate a platform to facilitate the Organised Private Sector to establish modular refinery using the model of the Presidential Artisanal Gold Mining initiative,” the Communiqué stated.
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Niger Delta Councils approve FG’s assistance in establishing deep sea port in Ondo State