The Federal Government has disclosed plans to partner with the International Oil Companies (IOCs) to foster development in the Niger Delta region.
Minister of the Ministry of Niger Delta Development (MNDD), Engr. Abubakar Momoh made this known on Tuesday during a collaborative meeting with IOCs and stakeholders in Abuja.
Engr. Momoh said this administration is proposing new strategies designed by the current management of the ministry aimed at promoting greater synergy for the enhanced overall development of the region through collaborative efforts with the IOCs.
He said the purpose of the meeting is to “brainstorm and share the visions of the present administration on how best to collaborate and promote the development of the region through extra-budgetary provisions aimed at meeting the needs of the region through the implementation of the ‘Eight Thematic Areas’ of the Presidential Agenda.”
He explained that, “this has become imperative due to the short-falls in the ministry’s finances, a situation that has made it practically impossible for it to effectively discharge its assigned mandate in the region.
“This initiative for support from stakeholders like you, is very important, for the current relative peace and security in the region to be improved upon, if government policies projects, and programmes, for the well-being of the people, must be seamlessly implemented, while a conducive environment for investments and business in the region is also created”, he said.
The former lawmaker in a statement by the Director, Press and Public Relations, Chindaya Ahmadu, noted that the ministry has made considerable in-roads, in terms of the development of infrastructures and human capacity development in the region.
He highlighted other high-impact programmes that are targeted focal areas such as in the aspects of peace and security, training and empowerment of youth and women, establishment of host community trust fund, gas flaring, oil theft, and bunkering menace, upscale in corporate social responsibility and strategic implementation work plan.
In his opening remarks, the Permanent Secretary, MNDD, Dr. Shuaib Belgore, implored IOCs and stakeholders to approach the gathering with the utmost sense of purpose and open-mindedness, with the aim of adding value to the lives of the people in the Niger Delta region.
Present at the collaborative meeting where representatives of NDDC, Seplat-Energy, Total Energies, Chevron, Oando, SPDC, NAOC, PAN OCEAN and NNPC.
