The Pan Niger Delta Forum(PANDEF) has called on the Federal Government to support the development of Modular Refineries in the Niger Delta Region to stamp out unwholesome, unauthorised refining of crude as a way of providing employment for the teeming youths in the region.
This is just as they decried the rising rate of poverty in the Niger Delta caused by the deplorable condition of critical infrastructure in the region.
PANDEF noted with dismay that the social and economic activities of the region have been crippled by the collapse of major roads in the area.
The group made the observation in a communique issued at the end of an expanded national executive committee meeting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state at the weekend.
In a communique signed by its national chairman, Senator Emmanuel Ibokessien, PANDEF urged the federal government to urgently fix bad roads in the region especially some sections of the East-West Road on the Eleme-Onne, Patani, Kiama-Mbiama axis.
It also mentioned that sections of the Port Harcourt – Aba, Benin –Auchi, Benin-Sapale-Warri, Benin-Agbor, Sapele – Agbor, Calabar – Itu, Ikot Ekpene-Aba, highways have all become impassable.
According to the group, “It is entirely unacceptable that the proverbial goose that lays the golden egg is being neglected, administration after administration.
“We demand immediate intervention works on the failed sections of the cited roads, and others, by the Federal Ministry of Works, and other relevant agencies, too, without further delay, ameliorate the sufferings of the people”.
The meeting, which also deliberated on the state of the Nation, and recent socio-political developments in the region and country, called on the federal government to authorise the operation of modular refineries.
“PANDEF calls on the Federal Government to revisit the issue of supporting the development of Modular Refineries in the Niger Delta Region, to stamp out unwholesome, unauthorized refining of crude, as a way of providing employment for the teeming youths in the Niger Delta Region, and to curb criminality.
“We strongly caution youths of the Niger Delta Region to desist from unwarranted utterances capable of undermining the smooth functioning of federal agencies with direct bearing on the socio-economic development of the Region”.
PANDEF further hailed the National Assembly for revisiting the vexatious issue of the ceding of Bakassi to Cameroon.
“We commend the National Assembly for revisiting the Bakassi issue, which is of dire interest to the people, and urge the National Assembly to pursue the issue to a logical conclusion.
“We note that the unresolved issues arising from the ceding of Bakassi to Cameroon on account of the World Court Judgement and the Green Tree Agreement continue to threaten the wellbeing of the Bakassi people, and the security of the southernmost part of the Niger Delta Region,”.
It commended President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) for zoning the position of the Senate President to the Niger Delta and its choice of Senator Godswill Akpabio.
The group promised to revisit the region’s 16-point demands to the FG and present the same to the Tinubu administration for appropriate action.
