Abubakar Momoh, the former minister of Niger Delta
development, says the ministry’s scrapping is to enhance regional development
coordination.
On Wednesday, the federal executive council (FEC) scrapped
the ministry of Niger Delta and the ministry of sports development.
Bayo Onanuga, special adviser on information and strategy,
said the council took the decision during its meeting presided over by
President Bola Tinubu in Abuja.
A newly established regional development ministry will
oversee all the regional development commissions.
The commissions include the Niger Delta Development
Commission (NDDC), North West Development Commission (NWDC), South West
Development Commission (SWDC), and North East Development Commission (NEDC).
Tinubu retained Momoh as the minister in charge of the
ministry for regional development.
Speaking with State House correspondents after the meeting,
Momoh assured that the adjustment was “purely administrative,” which did not
diminish the focus on Niger Delta development.
He said the restructuring was done to establish a
centralised oversight system for the increasing regional development
commissions nationwide.
“For our people in the Niger Delta region, I would like them
to know that this has not removed anything from them,” Momoh said.
“The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) is still very
much in place under the ministry of regional Development, and all other such
agencies remain intact.
“All the structures and everything about the Niger Delta
remain. It’s just a change of nomenclature and, of course, expansion of
activities of the ministry.”
Momoh lauded Tinubu’s vision behind the restructuring,
describing it as a “forward-thinking move” to enhance regional development
coordination across the country.
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Blythe Catt
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