An elder statesman and former Federal Commissioner for Information Chief Edwin Clark, has protested against the scrapping of the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, saying the government wants the South-South money to develop other Development Commissions.
While describing the government’s action as a “one-man show”, he said the government should have consulted with the leaders of the Niger Delta and the South-South regions before the action.
Clark in a statement said the unresolved issues concerning the Niger Delta should have been resolved and not overlooked by the government.
He said, “The news came to me as a surprise. There’s no basis for scrapping it now, Yar’Adua had a purpose for creating it, to develop the Niger Delta region and Nigeria, to bring peace to the region.
“What I’ve noted so far is that there’s no basis for scrapping it. Yar’Adua had a clear purpose to address the security situation in the Niger Delta, which led to the creation of the ministry focused on developing that area. We have been working for some time now, managing our commissions.
“It’s not about that; it’s the administrative structure created by the President. Unfortunately, it was misunderstood by Nigerians due to its complexity.
Why would you take over a Ministry without any development plans, funding, or concrete actions?
“Even the East-West Road, which was meant to be under the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, is not being addressed; it has been handed back to the Ministry of Works. What I’m saying is that the Federal Government lacks special arrangements for this. When I saw that every region was establishing its own development centres or commissions, I anticipated these issues would arise.
“Are there going to be multiple ministries within one region? One would expect that 30 or 40 people would have walked out to share the details. I remember during the national conference in 2014, it was decided to increase the revenue allocation to the regions from 13 per cent to 25 per cent. Ultimately, it was settled at 18 per cent. But we disagreed, which led to further discussions about a separate fund to support development post-Boko Haram.
“There was also an agreement that 5 per cent of the federation account would be allocated annually to support regions affected by the conflict. Unfortunately, this has not been implemented.
“We also agreed that 5 per cent of the revenue account should be dedicated to developing mineral resources and other industries to enhance local capacity.
“I was pleased with these discussions, but they haven’t translated into action, which is concerning. The government needs to consult with the leaders of the Niger Delta and the South-South regions. What we’re saying is that these unresolved issues cannot be overlooked by the government.
“The government must explain why they decided to halt critical legislation. This raises concerns about how the benefits of regional development are being managed. Many people feel disconnected from the process, and it seems resources are being diverted from local needs.
“We need to ensure that regional development isn’t scrapped without a clear plan for its replacement. We will not allow it to be scrapped, the government wants the South-South money to develop other Development Commissions.
“In a democratic system, the government should be created for the people, by the people, and for their benefit. It shouldn’t operate as a one-man show.”
Friday Olokor
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