Stakeholders Task Federal Gov’t On Niger Delta Development

Stakeholders in the Niger Delta region have called on the federal government to deepen its development efforts in the region through the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP).

The stakeholders, who made the call yesterday in Port Harcourt during an event organised by the Niger Delta Progressive Alliance (NDPA) to mark the second anniversary of the President Bola Tinubu-led administration, lauded the president for his achievements in the past two years.

The event with the theme: “Two Years of Stewardship: Tinubu’s Footprint in the Niger Delta, Legacy in Motion,” centred on celebration, reflection and renewed demands for inclusive development in the region.

In his welcome address, NDPA convener, Victor Udoh, described the event as a turning point for the Niger Delta, emphasising that the time for transformation in the region was now.

Udoh said: “This day dawns not merely as a page turned on the calendar, but as a clarion call echoing across the creeks, rivers and coastlines of the Niger Delta. In the heart of Port Harcourt, the symbolic capital of the Niger Delta, we gather not only to witness, but to reckon and to dream anew.

“It is an intentional declaration that we stand at the edge of a long-awaited inflection point, heralding a movement. A movement that proclaims, with hope and conviction, that the future is no longer a distant promise. It is here, now, and unfolding before our eyes.”

He commended Tinubu for redirecting national attention toward peace-building and intellectual empowerment in the region, citing the progress in education, infrastructure, and environmental recovery.

The NDPA leader also called for the deepening of development narratives that prioritise human dignity alongside resource management.

He said: “We are not here merely to recount challenges or mark time. We have come to celebrate footprints of stewardship, intention, and transformation. It is two years into the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, and we are witnessing early fruits of genuine environmental recovery in the Niger-Delta.”

National coordinator of the Niger Delta Youth Council Worldwide, Engineer Jator Abido, lauded President Tinubu’s reforms, including renewed attention to modular refineries, oil and gas asset protection, and youth engagement.

Abido urged the administration to go further by strengthening the Presidential Amnesty Programme and working closely with the NDDC to implement youth-focused initiatives in education, skills, health, and mental wellness.