The foremost leader of the Niger Delta region and founder of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Chief Edwin Clark, has rejected the scrapping of the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs.
Recall President Bola Tinubu ordered the scrapping of the ministry on Wednesday alongside the Ministry of Sports Development after the Federal Executive Council meeting.
Clark however argued that there was no basis to scrap the ministry saying he was taken aback when he heard the news.
He reminisced that the late President, Musa Yar’Adua had a reason for creating the ministry which was his desire to develop the region in view of the contribution the region made to the country and to bring peace to the region.
The elder statesman stressed that, “We need to ensure that it isn’t scrapped without a clear plan for its replacement.
“We will not allow it to be scrapped, the government wants to use South South money to develop other Development Commissions.
“What I have 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,” Clark said.
“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”, Clark stated.
He said that the federal government lacks special arrangements for the ministry which has given rooms for creation of so many commissions across the different regions.
According to him, every region is creating its own development Commission with the responsibility of raising issues which may have triggered this action by the Government.
“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% to 25%.
“Ultimately, it was settled at 18%, 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% 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% 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 must explain why they decided to halt critical legislation,” he added.
He further said, “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.
“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”, Chief Clark stated.