Former Federal Commissioner for Information and prominent South-South leader, Chief Edwin Clark, has criticized President Bola Tinubu’s decision to abolish the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, asserting that the people of the region will resist such a move.
In a statement in Abuja following the announcement, Clark emphasized that there was no justification for disbanding the Ministry. He accused the federal government of attempting to redirect funds from the South-South region to develop various established development commissions elsewhere.
Clark, who leads the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), expressed concerns that “President Tinubu has no good plans for the people of Niger Delta,” highlighting the historical significance of the ministry established by late President Umaru Yar’Adua to foster development and maintain peace in the Niger Delta, as well as to combat pipeline vandalism.
“The news came to me as a surprise. There’s no basis for scrapping it now,” he remarked. “Yar’Adua had a purpose for creating it, to develop the Niger Delta Region and Nigeria, to bring peace to the region.”
He further stated, “What I have noted so far is that there is no basis for scrapping it. Yar’Adua had a clear purpose to address the security situation in the Niger Delta, which led to the creation of the Ministry to focus on the development of that area.”
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Clark criticized the government for taking over a ministry without concrete plans for development or funding, citing the lack of progress on projects like the East-West Road, which has been reassigned to the Ministry of Works.
“The federal government lacks special arrangements for this region,” he lamented, noting that the establishment of development commissions in other regions has raised concerns about equitable resource allocation.
He recalled discussions from the 2014 national conference about increasing revenue allocation to regions and establishing a separate fund for development in conflict-affected areas, but lamented that these agreements have not been acted upon.
Clark further urged the government to engage with leaders from the Niger Delta, stating, “These unresolved issues cannot be overlooked by the government.” He also questioned the rationale behind halting critical legislation, emphasizing the need for transparency in managing regional development resources.
“We will not allow it to be scrapped; the government wants to use South-South money to develop other Development Commissions,” he asserted, stressing that “in a democratic system, the government should be created for the people, by the people, and for their benefit. It shouldn’t operate as a one-man show.”
The announcement to abolish the Niger Delta Ministry, along with the Ministry of Sports Development, was made by President Tinubu and the Federal Executive Council, as confirmed by Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to the President, Bayo Onanuga.
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