24m Niger Deltans Are Multi-Dimensionally Poor — Okonjo-Iweala

Director-general of World Trade Organisation (WTO), Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has declared that 24 million, out of about 50 million people in the Niger Delta region are rated as multi-dimensionally poor.

Okonjo-Iweala made the declaration while speaking via zoom, during the opening ceremony of the Niger Delta Economic and Investment Summit in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

The three-day summit with the theme: “Driving Investment, Innovation and Industrial Growth in the Niger Delta,” was organised by the Niger Delta Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Trade, Mines and Agriculture (NDCCITMA).

She stated that available data shows that only four, our of the nine states in the Niger Delta region, are in the top 10 of the national human development index, which measures that attainment of states in education, health and general standards of living.

Okonjo-Iweala said, “It is not an exaggeration to say that the situation of Niger Delta citizens is far from satisfactory as shown by the following statistics. Available data 2022 information shows that only four of the Niger Delta states, Imo Cross River, Abia and Edo are in the top 10 of the national human development index, which measures that attainment of states in education, health and general standards of living.

“Only two of them are in the top five. Life expectancy saw a downward trend in most of the states; Delta, Edo and especially Rivers experienced drops.

“Further, according to data on the multi-dimensional poverty index from the National Bureau of Statistics, the Niger Delta region with a population of about 50 million is home to 24 million, about 48 percent of that population, classified as multi-dimensionally poor. It is a big word but it just means that people lack adequate access to clean water, sanitation and so on.

“This 24 million people also represent substantial slice, 18 percent of Nigeria’s multidimensional poor people. 60 percent of households in the region lack access to clean drinking water compared to national average of 21 per cent. 72 per cent of households lack access to sanitary facilities in the Niger Delta compared to the national average of 69 percent.

“Educational attainment measured at the percentage of people aged 10 years and above, who did not complete six years of schooling, shows that the Niger Delta has 33 percent score. This is better than the national average of 69 per cent. So that is good but it is not very good. So, the region needs to also do better in this area.”

The former minister of finance called on Niger Deltans to invest in the region in order to encourage to also invest in the region.

“The reason is that the Niger Delta has quiet a few things going for it such as it’s large pool of talented people and important natural resource base along with attendant financial allocations.

“Well, Niger Delta can always do with more resources, we certainly must do better with what we have. This is where the Niger Delta Chamber of Commerce could make a difference. Its members can spearhead a drive to attract investment into the region. We know that many companies left the area in the last 30 years as a result of unrests related to activities in the oil sector.

“You can take the lead in reversing the trend through investment by your members thereby demonstrating to others that the region is open for business. You know the opportunities and risks better than other investors and the risks tend to be exaggerated if I might say so. Your actions should be a guide post for other investors.

“The private sector led by the Chambers could partner with the state government in the region to establish viable special economic zones that can form the backbone of the regenerated Niger Delta region.

“The region can position itself and take advantage of the re-globalising trade to become a manufacturing hub for international investors, seeking to diversify their production base and export to an expanding African market and beyond. I know you have ambition to cover many areas, but I want to highlight just three; critical minerals and agriculture and coastal economy,” she said.

In his keynote speech, chairman of Access Holdings, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, said the road to the prosperity of the Niger Delta requires a development and investment compact by the people of the region.

Aig-Imoukhuede said, “The way, the road to Uhuru for the Niger Delta requires a development and investment compact by our people. The central economic question confronting the Niger Delta today is no longer whether the region is richly endowed. That question was settled decades ago. Nor, is it whether our people and our region have contributed disproportionately to Nigeria’s fiscal and external accounts, the historical record is clear.

“The more difficult question I believe this summits seeks to answer over the next three days is why has extra-ordinary resource endowment not produced a commensurate level of broad-based human prosperity.”

In his remarks, managing director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, called for the setting up of a think-tank to map our was to encourage investors and businesses to come into the Niger Delta region.

Ogbuku, who described the summit as the summit as a dream come true and commended the leadership of NDCCITMA for driving it.

“This is a dream come true. We thank the leadership of the Niger Delta Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Trade and Investment for driving this

“The best thing to happen to the people of the Niger Delta was the establishment of the Niger Delta Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Trade Mines and Agriculture, which was midwifed by the Niger Delta Development Commission.

“Its establishment was part of the efforts to bring businesses, small and medium scale enterprises to grow the region into the era of prosperity.”