Niger Delta governors raise concern over development in oil region
Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa.
At a time governors of the Niger Delta region, ministers and other stakeholders are raising concern over development in the oil region, the House of Representatives yesterday okayed the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) N364.5 billion budget.
Speaking at the ongoing Nigeria International Petroleum Summit, the stakeholders said that there was need for urgent action to make communities in the region benefit directly from the volume of economic activities and investment going on in the area.
Governor of Cross Rivers State, Prof. Ben Ayade, said that the underlying issues of conflict in the region have not been properly tackled.
The Governor of Bayelsa State, Seriake Dickson said there was need for massive industrialisation of the region.
He disclosed that collaborative efforts launched by the state in partnership with the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) to address economic challenges in the region was yielding results.
Governor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa insisted that the imperativeness of peace building as a catalyst for economic growth in the region was key in the nation’s development.
Minister of State for Petroleum, Ibe Kachikwu, who insisted that the region must return to agriculture, noted that transparency and accountability were needed to ensure that communities in the region are beneficial of investment in the area.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives yesterday approved the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) N364.5 billion budget.
Of the amount, the sum of N17, 797, 000, 000.00 is budgeted for personnel costs, N12, 459, 000,000 is for overhead costs, N4,402,000,000 is for Internal Capital Expenditure.
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