Why N/Delta youth shouldn’t be part of bad governance protest –Momoh

By Egena Sunday Ode

Minister of Niger Delta Development, Abubakar Momoh, has pleaded with the youth of the Niger Delta region not to join the nationwide protest against bad governance because they have no reason to do so.

This came as he hinted that his ministry would soon start a probe into the activities of the Nigerian Contents Development and Management Board (NCDMB).

The Minister, in an interaction with State House Correspondents, Wednesday, noted that it appeared the masses were oblivion of all that the President has been doing to reposition the country.

On why the Niger Delta youth should shun the protest, the Minister said “to start from my end in the Niger Delta Region ,I think the President has done a lot for which I don’t think any person who is from the Niger Delta area will deem it necessary to come out and say he’s protesting against bad governance.

“The number of projects that have been executed in the south south region, and particularly the Niger Delta region, within this one year cannot be compared with what has happened previously in the last four years. For instance recently, you watched us on the screen commissioning projects in the Niger Delta area.

“For instance the Okitipupa electricity project that was commissioned by me recently is a project that has been there for a very long time and for 15 years, about seven local governments were never connected to the National grid and this administration came and with the intervention of Mr President, giving necessary directives that all such abandoned project should be completed and then instructed the Managing Director of NDDC to effect the completion of those projects. That is why you see that today those LGs are now connected. In Ogbia/Nembe road, the road that has seven bridges and 25 culverts in the heart of Niger Delta region, where you have flood and the rest of them was recently commissioned. Then 600meters bridge across River in Akwa Ibom State was also commissioned.

“And apart from this, there are quite a number of welfare programs that are ongoing. The Ministry also embarked on empowerment and welfare program for the first time in the history of Niger Delta Ministry. All empowerment programs this time around were held in the various state of the Niger Delta.

“Today a number of women and youths have benefitted reasonably and today too Mr President has also graciously approved the release of funds to address the flooded area of the Niger Delta and also palliatives for the people of the Niger Delta ,in addition to what he has done for the State government. You are aware that a number of relief materials have been sent through various state governors to the people of Nigeria

“But the unfortunate thing is that it is only a few governors that will report accordingly . But some of them will even think that they are coming from them.”

Amongst those things the President did to transform the region, as listed by the Minister, was the ongoing infrastructures in Ogoniland,

“My summary to the youth is that they should take advantage of all the numerous programmes initiated by this administration that will help to better their lots. A lot of investment funds here and there; a lot of scholarship scheme and the rest of them but what I have noticed is that most of the youths appeared to be oblivion of all these programs.”

On the probe of the local content board, the Minister said the board gets some.money from IOCs as stipulated by the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) and the ministry would be interested in supervising it’s activities.

He said “We also.have a certain percentage they pay to Nigerian Contents Development and Management Board and that of course is a board, in a very short time too, we will begin to ask questions as the Minister of Niger Delta who’s charged with the responsibilities of overseeing what they are doing because by the Act establishing it, it’s supposed to be looking into the local contents of what these oil majors are doing.