The Movement for the Survival of the Izon Ethnic Nationality in the Niger Delta (MOSIEND) has called on the federal government to reconsider its decision to scrap the Ministry of Niger Delta Development.
It said it was strongly opposed to the decision of the President Bola Tinubu-led administration to abolish the ministry and merge the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) into a new Ministry of Regional Development alongside other regional development commissions.
MOSIEND, in a statement made available to LEADERSHIP in Port Harcourt yesterday by its national president, Dr Kennedy West, expressed deep disappointment with the present administration’s decision, calling it a demonstration of insensitivity towards the Niger Delta’s unique challenges and contributions to the Nigerian economy.
West said: “We are angered by this decision, which was made without any consultation with the people of the Niger Delta. The Niger Delta Ministry and the NDDC were established after years of sacrifice, struggle, and even loss of lives by our people.
“These institutions serve as a lifeline, albeit insufficient, to address the region’s persistent hardships, environmental degradation, and infrastructure deficits. This decision only serves to deepen the wounds of neglect that our people have endured.”
He stated that the federal government’s interventions, including the establishment of the Niger Delta Ministry and the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), have been instrumental in stabilising the region and increasing oil production.
The MOSIEND president, however, noted that these efforts fall short of addressing the region’s comprehensive needs, which were outlined in reports submitted to the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua’s administration in the course of the Presidential amnesty consideration and implementation.
West underscored that any attempt to subsume the NDDC into a general Ministry of Regional Development fails to recognise the specific mandate and complexities of the Niger Delta, a region that shoulders significant economic responsibility for the nation.
He said: “We urge the government to leave the NDDC under the direct oversight of the Presidency,” West added, “where it can receive the proper funding, transparency, and accountability it deserves.”
The MOSIEND leader, who criticised the lack of engagement with Niger Delta stakeholders on such a consequential decision, said: “If the government truly intends to support the region, it should sit down with the people and not just the politicians to discuss a sustainable way forward.
“Our region cannot be treated as just any part of the country because, undoubtedly, — we are a vital pillar of Nigeria’s economy.”
