- Safiu Kehinde
Condemns Scrapping of Niger Delta Ministry
An Elder Statesman and former Federal Commissioner of Information, Edwin Clark, has slammed President Tinubu for running a one-man show while condemning the scraping of the Niger Delta Ministry.
Clark had, in a statement issued on Wednesday, frowned against the ministerial reshuffling which saw the Niger Delta Ministry.
Expressing shock over the development, the elder statesman claimed there was no basis for the scrapping while faulting Tinubu for taking the decision without consulting the Niger Delta and South-South leaders.
He also accused the President of plot to divert the Niger Delta fund to other commissions.
“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.
“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.” Clark said.
Meanwhile, Clark explained the complexities surrounding the now defunct Niger Delta Ministry which he claimed the current administration took over without any development plans, funding, or concrete actions.
“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.” Clark added.