Buhari praises the Niger Delta Ministry’s new management

The implementation of the harmonisation of the Development Plans of all agencies and development partners operating in the region into the Integrated Regional Development Plan as a roadmap to accelerate development has been prioritized by the new leadership of the Niger Delta Affairs Ministry, which has received praise from President Muhammadu Buhari.

The Niger Delta Development Commission, or NDDC, has been repositioned by the Ministry in order to ensure that it fulfills its mandates and goals. The President expressed satisfaction with these significant steps.

President Buhari expressed displeasure at the lack of infrastructure, human capital development, and other indicators of human progress despite his administration’s significant investments to advance development in the Niger Delta region at the 5th National Council on Niger Delta meeting held in Uyo, which was attended by the Minister of Mine and Steel Development, Olamilekan Adegbite.

“This administration developed various programs to cater to the various requirements of stakeholders in the Region as part of the Government’s attempts to demonstrate its commitment to resolving the issues of underdevelopment and insecurity in the Niger Delta Region. One of these events, conducted in December 2016 under the auspices of the Pan Niger-Delta Forum (PANDEF) with delegates from the Region, detailed a 16-point agenda as the necessary conditions for the Region’s peace, stability, and development.

“There is no doubt that the Federal Government has made a significant investment to advance development in the Region and provide the people a new lease on life, but this investment has not yet produced equivalent results in infrastructure, human capital development, or other indices of human progress.

“However, the region’s current relative calm is evidence of the government’s dedication to tackling the issues raised by the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), which was mentioned in the 2016 Summit.

“I am pleased to report that the Ministry has taken significant efforts in the repositioning of the NDDC to ensure they fulfill their goals and mandate,” the spokesperson said.

The President pointed out that the Strategic Implementation Work Plan (SIWP), a framework created to address the strategic goals outlined in the Federal Government’s 20-point Agenda and the Pan Niger Delta Forum’s (16-point Agenda), is already in place.

In order to ensure maximum effectiveness and impact at this crucial time, he continued, the SIWP tool provides a strategic framework for the coordination of investments into development and stabilization interventions in the Niger Delta Region. He described this as another effort to ensure a paradigm shift from the old ways of project implementation without synergy among various operators in the Region.

The implementation of the Harmonization of all Developmental Plans of all Agencies and Development Partners Operating in the Niger Delta Region into a Single Integrated Regional Development Plan as a roadmap to accelerated development of the Region has been prioritized by the Ministry’s new leadership, which is pleasing to note.

The Niger Delta Affairs Minister, Umana Umana, revealed in his speech that the Ministry has made admirable progress toward repositioning the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to fulfill its primary goal.

The Minister stated that a White Paper on the Forensic Audit Report has been requested and has been given to the President.

He asserted that one of the conference’s goals is to advocate for increased and ongoing cooperation with other stakeholders and development partners in the creation and execution of policies and programs intended to enhance living conditions in the Niger Delta region.

The Ministry is anticipating this kind of intellectual cross-fertilization since it will advance the region’s development to a new level of advancement.

The communique’s presentation was the highlight of the 5th National Council on Niger Delta, which was held in Uyo.

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