PROGRAMMES, POLICIES COORDINATION IN NIGER DELTA REGION SACROSANCT, SAYS MINISTER

The Honourable Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Pastor Usani Uguru Usani has disclosed that the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs will be firm in its determination to ensure proper coordination of development programmes, policies and activities in the Niger Delta region to avoid waste and duplication.

He said that Government would verify the alleged corrupt practices and debt profile of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) in a bid to bring the culprits to book.

“We are organising all issues of development in the region by identifying various organs that have something to do on the development of the Niger Delta region.” He added.

Pastor Usani disclosed this while briefing news men in Abuja, on Thursday, on the activities of the Ministry and the Presidential Initiative for the Industrialisation of Niger Delta region held in Akure, Ondo state capital, earlier this week.

The Minister said the Presidential Initiative which was centred on Agricultural development and Industrialization was aimed at reviving moribund industries in the Niger Delta region and Enugu State. He stated further that the programme supposed to be a national programme, but the Niger Delta region was chosen to pilot it due to its peculiarity.

“We are going to begin state by state for real action to take place.” He reiterated.

In the same vein, Pastor Usani stressed that in keeping with its commitment to properly coordinate development efforts in the Niger Delta region, the Third Quarterly Meeting of the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, International Oil and Gas Companies (IOCs) operating in the region and the nine Niger Delta states, had been scheduled to hold on Tuesday, 25^th July 2017.

He added that the meeting would enable participants to come out with a working template that will guide their activities.

It would be recalled that, at the inaugural meeting of the platform at the Ministry in January 2017, the Minister disclosed that the meeting would be held on quarterly basis. The second meeting was held in May this year.

The Minister also disclosed that the Ministry has carried out a number of capacity building and empowerment programmes for the youths of the region which have made them to become wealth creators and employers of labour.

He disclosed that the Ministry would soon begin the inauguration of health centres that have been completed across the states of the Niger Delta region and put into use, for the benefits of the people and residents of the region.

The Minister also revealed that concerted efforts were being made to complete its on-going projects in the Niger Delta region