Group Demands Scrapping Of N’Delta Ministry
2 min read
Edith CHUKU
A group in the oil rich Niger Delta region has accused the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, of playing politics with the development of the region, through the ministry.
Speaking under the aegis of the Movement for the Survival of Izon Ethnic Nationality in the Niger Delta, MOSIEND, the group lamented that the ministry has not in any way made any meaningful contribution to the development of the region.
MOSIEND, through her National President Kennedy Tonjo West, called for the immediate scrapping of the Ministry.
According to the National President, “We want the Ministry of Niger Delta to be scrapped. NDDC is a stakeholders’ driven institution. It is a democratic representation of the people of Niger Delta.
“Therefore, checks and balances and monitoring will be very effective. There is the need to scrap the Ministry of Niger Delta and leave NDDC to function optimally.
“We are advocating that the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) should still be under the Presidency because in less than two years, we have suffered gross injustice in NDDC. The NDDC has more connect with us than the Niger Delta Ministry.”
West, who also reiterated the dismay of the people of the Niger Delta on the three per cent approved by the National Assembly for oil producing communities in the region, called for its review.
He said, “3% is not enough to compensate host communities for the environmental degradation taking place in their area as a result of oil exploration activities.
“Right now, nothing is happening in the Niger Delta. I give you for instance, we just had the PIA. If you consider the PIA, you will find out that the Niger Delta people are still not comfortable with the 3% allocated to us.”
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