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Delta State Governor, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, Tuesday, charged the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, to complete all ongoing and abandoned projects in the region for the benefit of the people.

Governor Oborevwori gave the charge in Asaba at the 6th Meeting of the National Council of Niger Delta (NCND) with the Theme: “Stimulating Strategies for Economic Growth and Development in the Niger Delta Region”.

He said that the intervention of the agency was crucial in facilitating urban-rural integration, creating employment opportunities for the people and enabling regional economic growth.

He further remarked that the “forum is a strategic platform for states in the Niger Delta region to focus on issues and challenges of common interest, create a more dynamic and equitable arrangement for regional prosperity, and deepen our collaboration for using the region’s natural resources for inclusive growth and sustainable development.

“Let me appeal to the NDDC to take steps to urgently complete all ongoing and abandoned projects in the region.

“Indeed, the existence of the National Council on Niger Delta recognizes the interdependent nature of economic and political systems and the value of regional approach to economic development.

“Economic diversification is key to our growth aspirations. Hence, I welcome ideas on how we can reposition our agricultural economies and invest massively in critical social and economic infrastructure.
“I also expect this meeting to develop the blueprint for a more robust and effective public-private partnership to accelerate industrialisation in our various states.”

Oborevwori stressed that urgent steps needed to be taken in addressing the protracted problems of poverty, unemployment, and inequality in the region.

“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.

“Here in Delta State, the services sector accounts for over fifty percent of the non-oil economy, followed by agriculture twenty-seven per cent, and manufacturing nineteen per cent to the State’s GDP.

“Thus, we are equipping our youths not only with employability skills but also with the technical and vocational skills to participate in business, trade, and commerce.

“As we navigate our way through the current national economic crisis, it behoves on us to prioritize the development of agricultural value chains in our areas of comparative advantage, notably aquaculture, oil palm, cassava, rice, and maize.

“It is my considered view that these are areas needing urgent attention and follow-up for our dreams for the economic growth and development in the Niger Delta region to become reality,” the Governor added.

In his remarks, President Bola Tinubu who was represented by the Minister of Steel Development, Prince Shuaibu Abubakar Audu, said the focus of the Council was in tandem with his administration’s objectives in the renewed hope agenda.

He said the renewed hope agenda is focused on bringing hope to all Nigerians in the trying period. He appealed to the people of the region to be patient on the infrastructural development of the region, adding that his administration had developed a holistic plan for the overall development of the oil rich region.

Chairman Progressives Governor’s Forum and Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma called for ideological based conversation on the overall development of the region and urged the NDDC to call a meeting of Governors of the nine states of the Niger Delta to discuss the way forward on Niger Delta Development.

Earlier, Minister of Niger Delta Development, Engr. Abubakar Momoh thanked Governor Oborevwori for hosting the National Council meeting, adding that the Council was working assiduously with other stakeholders to improve on infrastructural development and human capital development in the region in line with President Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda.

While heeding to Gov. Oborevwori’s advise, the Minister assured that the Ministry would work with the NDDC to complete all ongoing and abandoned projects across the region.