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Elder statesman and South-South leader, Chief Edwin Clark, has condemned President Bola Tinubu's decision to scrap the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, saying that the people of the region are opposed to the move.
Clark's reaction comes on the heels of Tinubu's approval for the scrapping of two ministries and the merger of two others in a major cabinet shake-up on Wednesday, October 23, 2024.
The President approved the decision during the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting in Abuja on the same day.
This is according to presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga, in a statement he issued on Wednesday.
To replace the Niger Delta Affairs Ministry, Tinubu approved the creation of the Ministry of Regional Development, which will oversee all regional development commissions, including the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), North West Development Commission, South West Development Commission, and North East Development Commission.
Clark rejects scrapping of Niger Delta Affairs Ministry.
Reacting to the development, the elder statesman argued that there was no basis for the scrapping of the ministry.
He accused the Federal Government of plotting to use the money from the South-South zone to develop the newly created development commissions from other geopolitical zones.
Clark, a former Federal Commissioner for Information, alleged that President Tinubu had no good plans for the people of Niger, noting that late former President Umaru Yar'Adua created the ministry for the development of the zone as well as ensuring permanent peace and nipping in bud cases of pipeline vandalism.
“The news came to me as a surprise. There’s no basis for scrapping it now, Yar’Adua had a poised for creating it, to develop the Niger Delta Region and Nigeria, to bring peace to the region.
“What I have noted so far is that there is 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 to focus on the development of that area. We have been working for some time now, managing our commissions.
“It is not about that; it is 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 am saying is that the federal government lacks special arrangements for this region. When I saw that every region was establishing its 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 disturbing.
“The government needs to consult with the leaders of the Niger Delta and the South-South region. What we ate saying is that these unresolved issues cannot be overlooked by the government,” he said.
Clark further said, “The government must explain why they decided to halt critical legislation. This raises concerns about how the benefits of regional developments are being managed. Many people feel disconnected from the process, and it seems resources are being diverted from local needs.
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 to use 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.”