PRESS RELEASE
The Honourable Minister of State, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Donald
Omotayo Alasoadura has said that the Ministry is making relentless efforts in
collaborating with Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) through First Bank on Agricultural
Revolution Initiative in the Niger Delta region.
He said this in an interview session with the Ministers Platform recently held in Abuja.
According to him, “agriculture is a veritable area that is to be tapped into in the Niger
Delta region” adding that First Bank is ready to give as much as N50billion grant to
develop agriculture especially in the area of low land rice cultivation and fishery. He
made this assertion with the promise that the region can produce rice that can feed
Nigeria as a whole. “I believe that when this comes through, the Niger Delta area will
not be the same again as far as agriculture is concerned”.
He alluded that the Ministry has made notable efforts in the area of training and
empowerment of youths, women and artisans as over 1,500 participants were trained
and empowered last year with N500,000.00 given to each person as grant to start their
businesses or expand existing ones, assuring that 2022 training programmes would be
more elaborate.
Senator Alasoadura stated that the Ministry’s master plan for the Niger Delta region is
tailored towards giving basic priorities and improving the Niger Delta holistically, from
education to agriculture, empowerment, electricity, housing, infrastructure, land
reclamation, health, construction of jetties and canalization, provision of available funds
for development, geared towards uplifting the living standard of the Niger Delta people.
In the area of environmental degradation and pollution caused by Hydrocarbon activities
such as gas flaring, crude oil exploration and oil spillage, Senator Omotayo commended
President Muhammadu Buhari for ensuring that the Ogoni water and sea pollution is
being addressed vigorously stating that “the Ministry is also partnering Ministries of
Environment and Petroleum Resources respectively in tackling the menace and
bringing lasting solution to the problem”.
He reiterated that the greatest legacy the present administration would be remembered
for, through the platform of the Ministry is the completion of the East West road and
through the efforts of the Ministry; N10billion from the 2021 Sovereign SUKUK
Insurance was secured for construction work on the East- West Road.
He further stated that the Ministry has been able to handle to a large extent
industrialization and economic challenges confronting the region by promoting the
welfare of the people and ensuring that peace and tranquility is maintained adding that
the Ministry ensures adequate intervention, consultation with the Traditional rulers,
major stakeholders, youths etc. to maintain peace and progress in the region.
The Ministry has also revamped various abandoned projects, located at various
communities in the 9 States of the Niger Delta region commissioned and handed over to
communities, institutions and so on to be used for their benefits. Such projects
according to the Alasoadura are: Skill acquisition centers, Niger Delta Development
Commission (NDDC) Headquarters, 66 flats Police residential quarters, amongst others.
Senator Alasoadura noted that the Ministry is coordinating to ensure that the 3% from
the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) meant for the development of host communities in the
region is utilized judiciously for the communities to reap its benefits.
He therefore urged the youths and the people of the Niger Delta region to give the
government maximum support to succeed in all its endeavours towards the Niger Delta
region.
Deworitshe Patricia
D (Press & PR)
10/02/2022
