Leaders of the Niger Delta region under the auspices of the Pan Nigeria Delta Forum (PANDEF) has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to work towards the revival of the various ports in the Niger Delta including Port Harcourt, Warri, Onne, Calabar, Koko, and Sapele.
The leaders made the call at an extraordinary meeting that was chaired by Chief Dr. E. K. Clark.
Other who attended the meeting were the PANDEF National Chairman, Senator Emmanuel Ibok Essien, FNSE, Members of the PANDEF Board of Trustees, National and State Officers, as well as former National and State Legislators, Governors, Ministers, and other critical Stakeholders, including, Hon. Nduese Essien, former Minister of Lands & Housing, Amb. Dr. Godknows Igali, Senator Musa Adede amongst others .
In a communique issued and signed by the National Leader, Chief Dr. Edwin. K. Clark, National Chairman PANDEF, Senator Emmanuel Ibok Essien, FNSE said the deplorable state of infrastructure across the entire Niger Delta despite the fact that the region continues to bear the brunt of producing the wealth of the nation.
They further demand immediate reconstruction works on several failed sections of the East-West Road; Eleme-Onne, Ahoada- Mbiama-Kaiama, Benin-Sapale-Warri Road, Delta-Bayelsa, Benin-Agbor Road, Calabar-Itu Road, Port Harcourt – Aba Road, Ikot Ekpene-Aba Road, Benin-Auchi road, Calabar Obudu, etcetera.
They called for the extension of the Warri-Itakpe Railway to Abuja, and the expedition of work on the Port Harcourt – Enugu – Maiduguri Rail line, to lessen the transportation difficulties and risks our people are presently facing.
“We re-echoes call for the amendment of relevant sections of the NDDC Establishment Act 2000, to extricate the three non-South South States (Abia, Imo, and Ondo) that were integrated on political grounds, from the Commission;
” We condemn the continued gross “annexation” of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Ltd, where all top strategic management positions are occupied by persons from the north, while Niger Delta indigenes are marginalized and circumscribed to peripheral standings, in both the management and operations of the industry;
“We cites the recent humongous Pipeline Maintenance Contracts awarded by NNPC Ltd., to the exclusion of qualified firms from the Niger Delta as a typical example,” he said.
