Armed conflicts, militancy, bane of development in Niger Delta-FG
Oru Leonard
The Federal Government has again called on the people and residents of the Niger Delta region to embrace peace in order to achieve the needed development in the region.
The call was made at a Sensitization and Enlightenment for Peace in the Niger Delta, with the theme,”Community Engagement and Dialogue for peace and Sustainable Development,” held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on Wednesday.
In her remarks, the Director Overseeing the office of the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Mrs Lauren Braide said peace and security were prerequisites for development in the Niger Delta region.
“Armed Conflicts and militancy had severely compromised the provision of basic services and access to food and income-generating activities as witnessed in the recent past, I therefore urge us all to embrace peace to achieve development in the region”, she reiterated.
Mrs Braide who was represented by the Director Special Duties in the Ministry, Mr Laurence Adigwe itemized a number of priority projects of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration in Rivers State to include but not limited to community electrification, upgrading of road infrastructures in Port Harcourt-Eleme junction to Onne Port junction; East West Road section III (Port Harcourt-Eket); Trans Akuku Toru road; dualisation of Port Harcourt-Ahoada Water Well Abalamamie road; among several others.
She added that the Ministry captured many projects to be executed in Rivers State and other States in the Niger Delta region under the 2019 Appropriation for the overall benefit and welfare improvement of the people of the region.
“The essence of this gathering is to institute a culture of dialogue among our numerous stakeholders in the region with a view to ensuring that the much-desired sustainable peace and stability become a reality in the Niger Delta region,” Lauren Braide emphasised.
In his remarks, the lead Consultant for the sensitization programme, Dr. Benjamin Irikefe said the exercise was borne out of President Muhammadu Buhari’s passion for the empowerment of the people of the Niger Delta region which he said can only be guaranteed if all communities in the region maintained peace.
“The President is mobilising the entire communities in the Niger Delta region to train them in peace building, conflicts management and also to empower them with various skills so that they can become community-based peace ambassadors that can take the message of peace and development to the grassroots,” Dr. Irikefe stressed.
Also, in his message at the event, the Commandant, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps in Rivers State, Mr. Mutab Lawal, represented by Mr. Wilson Linus commended the Federal Government for the programme, saying it was through such efforts that government could curb all impediments to development in the Niger Delta region.
One of the participants, Mr. Damiete Orugbani said he would take the message of peace to his Community.
Part of the activities was the presentation of certificates to the participants as Peace Ambassadors, who have been saddled with the responsibility of training other youths in their various communities on the need for peace, towards accelerated development in the Niger Delta region.
Recall that most of the Niger Delta projects in Rivers and Bayelsa states were abandoned until President Muhammadu Buhari came in 2015.
