Minister Blames Niger Delta Underdevelopment On Implementation Lapses, Others

By Matthew Ogune, Abuja
Minister of State for Niger Delta, Sen. Omotayo Alasoadura, has blamed developmental challenges in the Niger Delta region on lapses in implementation, adoption of wrong strategies, insufficient coordination and absence of an effective collaborative framework.

The Minister stated this yesterday in Port Harcourt while declaring open the Pre-council seminar of the 4th national council on Niger Delta.

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Regretting that the lofty strategic intentions of the government have not been translated into meaningful development over the years, Alasoadura re-echoed the intentions of the Federal Government in adopting the best approach towards addressing developmental challenges in the Niger Delta region.

He noted that the National Council on Niger Delta was approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) as a forum to seek the buy-in and participatory approach of stakeholders towards achieving the mandate of the Ministry which main responsibility is to manage, coordinate, promote and initiate development policies and processes in the Niger Delta.

He said that the seminar would provide veritable inputs to thematic areas like infrastructural development, environmental management, human capital development, security, agriculture as well as monitoring and evaluation.

Explaining that the ministry was created as a direct response to the series of agitations by the people of the region, the minister noted that the ministry is presently executing several intervention projects designed to improve the deplorable state of the region.

Alasoadura disclosed that the interventions of the ministry has contributed immensely to the Infrastructural development of the region, adding that successes have been recorded in areas of economic empowerment and skill acquisition program for the non-militant youths and women.

According to him, provision has been made in the ministry’s 2021 budget estimate towards the completion of the East-West road which he said was the flagship project of the ministry.

Also Speaking, Permanent Secretary of Niger Delta ministry, Dr. Baboyo Ardo noted that the Technical papers earmarked for discussion during the Pre-Council Session were carefully selected in line with the Ministry’s focal areas of interventions and the sub-themes meant to address identified challenges of the region.