The people of the Niger Delta have been urged to rally round the Federal Government and the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs on efforts to develop the area.
Bayelsa State Governor, Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson gave the advice when officials of the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs led by its Minister, Elder GodsDay Orubebe paid him a courtesy call in Government House, Yenagoa.
Governor Dickson noted that though the Niger Delta region is beset with myriad of development challenges, sustainable progress can only be achieved in the region through mutual understanding and cooperation by the people.
Stressing the need for collective responsibility, the Governor observed that the current groundswell of criticism levelled against the ministry was unnecessary in the meantime as development of the region could not be achieved over night.
He commended the Federal Government and the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs for the pragmatic measures being used to redress the long period of neglect the region has suffered.
Governor Dickson, who also expressed delight at the ongoing efforts of the ministry to bring all critical stakeholders together with a view to evolving a common development blueprint for the region, assured the Minister of the State's readiness to participate actively at the proposed all-inclusive summit.
"I'm very encouraged and impressed with the steps your ministry has taken in very difficult circumstances to ensure that the East-West road is delivered not just to the people of Niger Delta but to all Nigerians. So, I want to thank and also urge you not to lose focus.
With the successes that have already been recorded in terms of that road, and most importantly with your emphasis now on bringing all stakeholders on board, which is another critical issue you are (again) pioneering. It is commendable because at the end of the day the development of the Niger Delta is a collective dream and duty for all of us. We should not make it to be like an "us and them situation".
"I'm very delighted at your proposal to have an all-inclusive summit so that we can all harness our various resources and then at the end of the day make inputs and come up with a concrete time-frame for a collaborative developmental agenda for the Niger Delta region.
I assure you that the Government of Bayelsa State will collaborate with you on that summit. We look forward to a very robust summit. We will be there and participate actively in it".
Earlier in his remarks, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder GodsDay Orubebe said the visit was part of his tour of all the states in the region to inform its Governors of a stakeholders summit the ministry has scheduled to hold by April this year in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital.
The Minister, who reaffirmed his ministry's preparedness to deliver the East-West Road by 2014, attributing the delay in the completion of the road to the absence of detailed designs and drawings as at when it was awarded in 2006 by former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
He called on the Niger Delta People to support the Federal Government, adding that "there is no better p
eriod to do that than now".
He attributed the delay in the completion of the road to absence of detailed designs and drawings as at when it was awarded in 2006 by former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Via: Bayelsa State Government - Official Press Release