Name minister for Niger Delta now, PANDEF tells Tinubu

THE Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, led by South South leader, Chief Edwin Clark has frowned at the failure of President Bola Tinubu to name a minister for the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, asking him to as

a matter of urgency, correct the omission.PANDEF has asked President Tinubu to be cautious of the fact that any misguided step towards the scrapping or submerging the Ministry, will create an unfavorable environment with adverse consequences.In a Communiqué issued on Friday at the end of an emergency meeting of the Board of Trustees, BoT of PANDEF, the group while noting that it would be a serious disservice to the people of the Niger Delta region not to a have a minister, said that the Ministry was specifically created to focus on infrastructural development, environmental protection and empowerment of youths in the oil-rich Niger Delta region, which continues to be greatly impacted by the oil and gas industry, and remains the live-wire of the national economy.Recall that President Tinubu had on Wednesday this week, assigned portfolio to 45 of the 48 Ministers he appointed recently and there was no Minister for the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs that was created by late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua in 2008,The Communique was signed by PANDEF National Leader, Chief Edwin Clark and Senator Emmanuel Ibok Essien, National Chairman of PANDEF.The Communique reads, “An emergency meeting of the Board of Trustees (BOT) and National Executive Committee of Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) held in Abuja, on Friday, 18th August 2023.“The meeting was chaired by the National Leader, Chief Dr. E. K. Clark, OFR, CON, and in attendance were the National Chairman, Senator Emmanuel Ibok Essien, FNSE, Members of the Board of Trustees, as well as National and State Officers.“The meeting discussed issues pertaining to the ongoing appointment and assignment of Ministers, as it affects the states of the Niger Delta region and South-South Geo-Political Zone, particularly, the omission of the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs.“The meeting resolves as follows: Expresses great surprise that in the published assignment of Ministers to their various cabinet portfolios, there is none designated for the existing Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs.“Reminds Mr. President that the Ministry of Niger Delta was created, specifically, to “focus on infrastructural development, environmental protection and empowerment of youths in the oil-rich Niger Delta region”, which continues to be greatly impacted by the oil and gas industry, and remains the live-wire of the national economy.