The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) at the weekend announced plans for an integrated master plan for the development of the Niger Delta region.
The Commission said it will be collaborating with the Ministry of Niger Delta Development to achieve the plan.
Director of Planning, Research and Statistics of the NDDC, Mr. Davies Okarevu, disclosed this during a two-day workshop on Harmonisation of the Niger Delta Regional Development Strategy for Directors of the Ministry of Niger Delta Development and the NDDC in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
The Director, Corporate Affairs of the NDDC, Seledi Thompson-Wakama, made this known in a statement issued in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Okarevu said: “The document to be known as Niger Delta Regional Development Strategy, would improve on the Niger Delta Regional Development Master Plan, the Ministry of Niger Delta Action Plan and the International Oil Companies, Regional plan in line with the mandate of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the development of the region.”
According to him, the workshop enabled the participants to have a mastery of the different regional plans to be able to integrate them into one for the development of the region.
He noted that another workshop would be organised for different stakeholders, including commissioners of economic planning, IOCs, and traditional and community leaders, among others, to come up with a sustainable development plan for the Niger Delta region.
On his part, the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Niger Delta Development, Shuaib Belgore, represented by Paul Abia, emphasised the need for a harmonised Niger Delta Regional Development Master plan, which he noted was key to achieving the development of the region.
He urged participants and drivers of the policy to come together to ensure that a useful and sustainable document was produced for the region.
In his presentation, the lead consultant of the project, Dr. Atei Beredugo, said that seven basic pillars were identified as tools that needed to be addressed to enhance the development of the Niger Delta region.
“We have realised that the seven pillars which must jointly be looked into for the Niger Delta region to move forward must include finance, security, economy (infrastructure), agriculture, oil and gas, and good governance.
”We are focusing on the pathway to put together a strategy that will enable us to achieve a sustainable and growth quality, poverty and hunger reduction, and what have you in the region," he said.
NDDC Director, Administration and Human Resources, Patrick Ekade in his remarks, explained that the workshop was organised to bring together directors from the Ministry of Niger Delta Development and NDDC to understand their roles in the implementation of the Niger Delta Development Master plan.
