Worried by the prevailing hardship occasioned by the Federal Government’s ongoing reforms in the energy sector, the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) rose from its expanded National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom state capital with some far-reaching resolutions to douse tension in the polity.
The meeting, which ended at the Watbridge Hotel Uyo at the weekend, was presided over by the National Chairman of PANDEF, Senator Emmanuel Ibok-Essien, with the endorsement of the National Leader, Chief Edwin Clark, who sent a goodwill message, delivered by Amb. Godsknow Igali, expressing delight at the quality of leadership being provided by the National Chairman and his executives, and further encouraged the NEC members to remain steadfast and resolute in the pursuit of the objectives of the Forum, and the shared interests of the region.
The communique at the end of the meeting signed by the PANDEF chairman, congratulated President Bola Tinubu, and the Senate President, Chief Godswill Akpabio, on their emergence as leaders of Nigeria, and expressed confidence in their ability to get the country out of the woods, by addressing the current socio-economic and security challenges facing the nation.
The Forum, therefore, stressed the need for a holistic action plan towards fixing Nigeria, noting that the energy sector holds the key in repositioning the country, and urged the Federal Government to revisit the idea of investing massively in the modular refinery project with a view to liberalising the sector for optimum productivity.
Besides, PANDEF congratulated the Governors of Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Delta and Rivers States, on their victory at the polls, and charged them to redouble their efforts in synergy with relevant Federal Ministries, Agencies and Departments (MDAs) towards addressing the socio-economic challenges confronting the region
To avoid unnecessary conflagration in the region, the regional leaders cautioned the youths to desist from unwarranted utterances capable of undermining the smooth functioning of federal agencies with direct bearing on the socio-economic development of the region.
Parts of the communique read: “PANDEF calls on the Federal Government to revisit the issue of supporting the development of Modular Refineries in the Niger Delta Region, to stamp out unwholesome, unauthorized refining of crude, as a way of providing employment for the teeming youths in the Niger Delta Region, and to curb criminality.
“On the deplorable state of critical infrastructure, particularly roads, in the entire region, PANDEF frowns that several sections of the East-West Road, (Eleme-Onne, Patani-Kiama-Mbiama), sections of the Port Harcourt – Aba, Benin –Auchi, Benin-Sapale-Warri, Benin-Agbor, Sapele – Agbor, Calabar – Itu, Ikot Ekpene-Aba, highways have all become impassable, suffocating social and economic activities in the areas to widespread poverty levels.
“It is entirely unacceptable that the proverbial goose that lays the golden egg is being totally neglected, administration after administration. Demands immediate intervention works on the failed sections of the cited roads, and others, by the Federal Ministry of Works, and other relevant agencies, to, without further delay, ameliorate the sufferings of the people.
“Commends the National Assembly for revisiting the Bakassi issue, which is of dire interest to the people and urges the National Assembly to pursue the issue to a logical conclusion because the unresolved issues arising from the ceding of Bakassi to Cameroon on account of the World Court Judgement, and the Green Tree Agreement, continue to threaten the wellbeing of the Bakassi people, and the security of the Southernmost part of the Niger Delta region.”
