The Movement for the Survival of the Izon Ethnic Nationality in the Niger Delta (MOSIEND) has called on members of the National Assembly and state Houses of Assembly as well as political appointees not to leave the development of the Niger Delta region for governors alone.
MOSIEND, in a statement issued in Port Harcourt yesterday by its president, Kennedy West, expressed concern over the poor development in Niger Delta communities.
West called on political office holders at the federal and state levels to emulate their counterparts from the northern part of the country, using their privileged positions to attract development to the region.
He said: “It is unfortunate that while some federal lawmakers from the North are busy synergising and lobbying members of the federal and state executive councils,
government agencies and development partners to site meaningful projects in their localities and empower their constituents, some from the Niger Delta are not making concrete efforts but are rather busy giving excuses to their people that it is not within their powers.
“Preparation of the 2024 budget is ongoing and this is the appropriate time for federal lawmakers from the region to lobby those in the executive arm to capture meaningful projects into the budget, and not to only wait for their salaries and seating allowances.
“It’s about time the people who voted them into office enjoyed the dividends of democracy, because the region is behind in terms of infrastructure and human capital development.”