The National Executive Committee of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), led by Ambassador Godknows Igali, has received the royal blessings of the Bayelsa State Council of Traditional Rulers.
During a courtesy visit to the council in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, the delegation updated the royal fathers on PANDEF’s activities and sought their support.
Ambassador Igali emphasised that PANDEF serves as the collective voice of the South-South geopolitical zone, uniting the diverse linguistic and ethnic groups of the Niger Delta.
Addressing the royal fathers, Ambassador Igali stressed the need for greater agricultural investment in the region, likening its fertile land to that of Vietnam, a major rice producer.
He asserted that the people of Niger Delta have the capacity to achieve food self-sufficiency through proper investment in agriculture.
Additionally, he commended the people of the region as law-abiding citizens and insisted that oil and gas companies operating there must show respect to local communities, whether offshore or onshore.
The PANDEF national chairman also reiterated the urgency of environmental restoration, highlighting that the cleanup of the region’s devastated ecosystem could take up to 30 years due to the severity of pollution.
He opposed any attempt to merge the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) with the Ministry of Regional Development, arguing that the NDDC is a special intervention agency tied to the principle of derivation.
He further called for the next chief executive of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to be appointed from the South-South geopolitical zone.
Igali also revealed that PANDEF had submitted a memorandum to President Bola Tinubu, co-signed by the organisation’s Board of Trustees (BoT), urging the immediate signing of the South-South Development Commission Bill into law.
The bill, already passed by the National Assembly, is seen as a crucial step towards addressing the developmental needs of the region.
Responding, the chairman of the Bayelsa State Council of Traditional Rulers, King Bubaraye Dakolo, commended the PANDEF leadership for its commitment and urged them to devise strategies that will foster development and prevent the continued exploitation of the people of the Niger Delta.
He lamented that despite feeding the nation for over 60 years, the Niger Delta has little to show for it.
As a gesture of support, King Dakolo presented PANDEF with two of his published books, including an award-winning empowerment book, which he described as both an ‘oral and written weapon’ for the struggle.
He further urged the Federal Government to establish a Riverine Marine Safety Corps, similar to the Federal Road Safety Corps, to ensure the safety of those who depend on waterways for their livelihood.
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