Former Managing Director of the Niger
Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Timi Alaibe and former Minister of
Information Chief Tony Momoh yesterday suggested ways President Muhammadu
Buhari can bring change and development to the Niger Delta.
Momoh and Alaibe spoke at a talk-shop
with the theme: “President Muhammadu Buhari’s Change Agenda and the Niger Delta
Struggle for Development” in Abuja.
The dialogue was organised by the
Gatekeepers Foundation, Change Ambassadors of Nigeria and Niger Delta Media
Professionals.
Alaibe recommended broad action
strategies to Buhari as a means of delivering infrastructural and
socio-economic development to the Niger Delta region.
The former Special Adviser to the President
on Niger Delta Affairs said it was still a matter of reflection whether
or not Dr Goodluck Jonathan used the opportunity presented him to benefit the
people of the region or not.
He said: “There is unfolding
reflections particularly among Niger Delta folks on the one hand whether or not
the immediate past administration held by one of our own maximized the
available opportunities to actualise the goals of Niger Delta.
“On the other hand, whether or not
Niger Delta people and especially the region’s elites and activists made an
earnest, collective and active effort to get the last administration to
maximise the opportunity. This reflection described so subtly may continue for
quite a while and take on a variety of turns.
“It may trigger various perceptions
and misconceptions as whether or not the answers to the two questions above
raise any estoppels however temporarily on the issues and advancement of Niger
Delta struggle.”
He maintained that the people of Niger
Delta while maintaining their historical aspirations cannot wait and cannot be
kept waiting any longer for development.
He added that the Buhari’s
administration, would itself be eager to deliver as fast as is realistic
on the expectations of Nigerians and to justify the huge wave of local and
global goodwill he has received so far.
He insisted that Buhari would be
determined to demonstrate in all possible ways, in his own words, he
belongs to everybody by delivering visible development to the people.
He said: “So, the question is, what is
change for the Niger Delta? The mantra of this new administration is change.
What will constitute change for the Niger Deltan?
“Change for the Niger Delta in terms
of development will to a large extent simply mean the following: Provision of
critical infrastructure and social amenities that will make life more
meaningful to make them communicate and compete on equal terms with other parts
of the country and of the world; effective participation in National economy especially
in sectors that are based on the nation’s endowments such as maritime and
petroleum sectors; environmental protection, particularly, from the ravages of
petroleum pollution, safeguarding the fertility and integrity of the
environment.”
Momoh, who was chairman of the event,
said Buhari is the only President since independence that prepared himself to
lead.
He said the new administration needs
cooperation from the Niger Delta to be able to deliver on his developmental
goals across the country.
Momoh said: “We need all the
cooperation we can get. Buhari needs cooperation from the Niger Delta. Niger
Delta must remain one of the six zones that contribute to the development of
the country.”
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