President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has assured Nigerians that local refineries across the Niger Delta Region and other parts of the country would be operational and put to optimal use within the shortest possible time.
He similarly pledged a reduction in the retail cost of Petroleum Motor Spirit (PMS), create more job opportunities for the youths and grow the Nation’s GDP.
President Tinubu spoke in a message to the 6th Meeting of the National Council on Niger Delta in Asaba, Delta state.
Represented by Minister of Steel Shuaibu Abubakar, the president said: “It is my pleasure to deliver this keynote address to officially open the 6th Meeting of the National Council on Niger Delta taking place in Asaba.
“I am delighted that the focus of this 6th National Council is themed “Stimulating Strategies for Economic Growth and Development in the Niger Delta Region. This is appropriate, as it will stimulate proper coordination of developmental programmes and projects in the region.
“The focus of this Council is in tandem with the cardinal objectives of my administration which are adequately enunciated in the Renewed Hope Agenda document. May I reiterate that the Renewed Hope Agenda encompasses much more than driving economic growth in Nigeria.
“Let me assure you that I am aware of the state of infrastructure and challenges in the region, but please be reassured that concerted efforts are being made to transform the infrastructural and economic fortunes of the region.
“As part of the Federal Government’s efforts to address the challenges of underdevelopment and insecurity in the Niger Delta Region, my administration is committed to implementing projects and programmes geared towards addressing the diverse needs of its people and for sustainable growth and development in the region.”
The president said his administration had developed a holistic plan for the development of the Niger Delta region and, indeed, all parts of Nigeria in terms of infrastructure, education and harnessing the bountiful resources of all parts of our great country as evident in the Ministerial Performance Bond for Presidential Priorities and Deliverables for 2023 – 2027.
The president said: “The East-West Road Project is the largest infrastructure project in Nigeria today, and the reason is not farfetched. It is a very strategic road connecting the nation’s busiest and foremost commercial cities, across three regions. Its completion is a priority to this Administration and this, I assure you, will be delivered in the nearest future.”
“On a broader scale, we are dedicated to ensuring that our local refineries, across the Niger Delta Region and other parts of the country, are made operational and put to optimal use soonest. This will ensure petroleum products availability and further reduce the retail cost of Petroleum Motor Spirit (PMS), create more job opportunities for the youths and grow the Nation’s GDP.
“As part of the federal government’s efforts to address the challenges of underdevelopment and insecurity in the Niger Delta region, my administration is committed to implementing projects and programmes geared towards addressing the diverse needs of its people and for sustainable growth and development in the region.
“As stakeholders, you must engage your minds as you deliberate in this meeting on issues such as economic diversification, fostering economic growth, eradication of poverty, promoting social inclusion, creation of jobs and stemming environmental degradation including the negative effects of climate change in the region. A significant part of the challenges in the region would have been resolved when these are achieved.
“I therefore call on all Council Members and Stakeholders to engage constructively as this will afford everyone the opportunity to come together as experts to deal with issues that are of utmost importance to the well-being of the Niger Delta people in particular and the country in general,” Tinubu said.
…Gov Oborevwori’s remarks
In his remarks, Delta state Governor Sheriff Oborevwori said there was the urgent need to address the protracted problems of poverty, unemployment, and inequality in the region.
The governor said: “By far the biggest challenge confronting us is the ugly spectre of youth unemployment, with the attendant effect of youth restiveness. The region boasts of a vast army of jobless young graduates, a clear and present danger to our collective peace and security.
“Urgent interventions are, therefore, needed to get the youth productively engaged. While the various states in the region have embarked on youth entrepreneurship development programmes, there is a compelling need for the Federal Government to work closely with the states to develop sustainable youth engagement programmes.
“In recognition of this social and economic reality, it is incumbent on the states in the region to formulate and implement robust grassroots-oriented programmes and measures aimed at nurturing and promoting MSMEs and maximizing the potentials of their contributions to economic diversification and regional prosperity. As engines of economic growth, MSMEs do the heavy lifting when it comes to tackling unemployment, reducing poverty, and promoting broad-based economic growth.
“As we navigate our way through the current national economic crisis, it behoves us to prioritize the development of agricultural value chains in our areas of comparative advantage, notably aquaculture, oil palm, cassava, rice, and maize.”
…Goodwill message
In his goodwill message, Imo state Governor Hope Uzodimma decried the misuse of the region’s funds, noting that the resources meant for Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) were not put to the right use in the region.
The governor, who commended the NDDC for its collaboration with the ministry, sought a review of some of the interventions even as he lamented the state of the East-West road.
