Report from Ministry of Niger Delta Development.
The Minister of State and Supervising Minister for the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Arch. Darius Dickson Ishaku has re-emphasized the necessity for peaceful co-existence, tolerance and mutual respect for each other as important conditions for national development.
The Minister said that as the chief host of the Niger Delta Youth for Peace Summit organized by the Ministry in collaboration with the Peace Ambassador Agency, the youth should embrace peace and dialogue in resolving issues.
The Minister who was represented by his special assistant, Mr. Gbade Ale, said it was only in an atmosphere of peace that the youths and the country can realize their full potentials. He praised the choice of theme for the summit: “The Impact of the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs in fostering Sustainable Peace in the Niger Delta Region” and said, it was apt considering the numerous achievements of the Ministry six years after its creation. He recalled that the Niger Delta was crisis-ridden due to the activities of militant youths agitating for more development efforts from the Federal Government.
“It is therefore, pertinent to note that the timely intervention by the Federal Government with critical actions such as the amnesty programme, the creation of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs contributed in no small measure to bring the desired peace back to the region”, the Minister asserted.
He continued: “As an agent of peace, the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs is always ever ready to work hand in hand with organizations which share this view with us. It is this policy that informed our decision to identify with the Peace Ambassador Agency, coordinators of this summit; because we recognize that summits or meetings such as this, create a good platform and conducive environment for peace, which is a necessary condition for sustainable development.”
The Minister restated that the mandate of the Ministry was essentially to fast-track the development of the nine Niger Delta States through the coordination of policy articulation and implementation of development activities for the region.
In her welcome address, Miss Ambassador for Peace of Niger Delta, Queen Temitope Adeniji said, the peace summit was focused on promoting and sustaining global peace, and charged young people to put hands together and cooperate with our leaders to achieve these vital objectives.
Pupils drawn from various schools in Delta State participated in the event where they made their cultural and drama presentations, which underscored the theme of promoting peaceful co-existence in the country as well as condemn acts of violence and terrorism being perpetrated by some young people thus urging them to turn a new leaf.
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