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The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State has
challenged Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Pastor Usani Usani Uguru, and his
Minister of State, Cladius Omoleye Daramola, to become agents of change who
would turn around the fortunes of the Niger Delta for the better. The party
threw the challenge via a statement issued Sunday in Port Harcourt, in which it
congratulated the two ministers on their appointment, describing them as
seasoned and patriotic administrators whose appointment demonstrates President
Muhammadu Buhari’s desire for the immediate emancipation and development of the
Niger Delta region.
Rivers APC in the statement signed by its Chairman, Dr.
Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, appealed to the ministers “to convoke, as a matter of
urgency, a Summit of Niger Delta Elders and Stakeholders to proffer solutions
to the myriad of problems facing the region so as to make the work of the
honourable ministers easier.”
While hoping that the suggestion would be accepted and
implemented, Rivers APC drew attention to some of the major issues that need
the immediate action of the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, namely:
1. Re-organisation/Reformation and Streamlining of the
Amnesty Programme to make it more effective and thus ensure greater stability
and security of the region. The programme should also be made to accommodate
Cross River and Imo states as the exclusion of the youths of these two states
poses a security risk to the region.
2. Complete and equip the Skills Acquisition Centres in the
region, making them functional so as to train Niger Delta youths and women,
empowering them to become meaningfully engaged on a sustainable basis.
3. Immediate completion of the East-West Road, as well as
construction of the East-West Coastal Rail Line.
4. Complete overhaul of the Niger Delta Development
Commission (NDDC) to stamp out the massive corruption going on there and make
it more effective.
5. Release of funds due to the NDDC to enable it complete
on-going projects and initiate new ones to meet the needs of the people of the
Niger Delta people.
6. Create an Eco-friendly environment by embarking upon
projects that will protect Niger Delta communities from oil spillage and gas
flaring.
7. Direct funding of host communities and effective
partnering between oil companies and their host communities.
8. Relocation of corporate headquarters of oil companies to
areas of their operations.
9. Ensure Environmental Impact Assessment for all projects
to be executed in the Niger Delta.
10. Ensure that the Niger Delta gets its fair share of
appointments and employment opportunities so as to reduce the massive
unemployment of the youths of the region.
11. Ensure even distribution of projects and
facilities as the deliberate exclusion of some communities is a time bomb that
may explode at anytime.
12. Give qualified contractors from the Niger Delta priority
consideration in the award of contracts as a means of further empowering the
people of the region.
“We are convinced that if some of these ideas are
implemented, the vision of President Buhari for the Niger Delta region may have
been accomplished,” Rivers APC said.
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