Abuja: The House of Representatives on Thursday rejected a motion that sought to restore the Federal Ministry of Niger Delta Development. The motion, sponsored by Rep. Oboku Oforji (PDP-Bayelsa), was dismissed after Speaker Tajudeen Abbas announced that the President was prepared to sign the South-South Development Commission Bill. Abbas informed the House about the President’s assurances concerning the bill during a meeting, stating that the motion was no longer relevant.
According to Voice of Nigeria, the Majority Leader of the House, Rep. Julius Ihonvbere (APC-Edo), acknowledged the significance of the issues raised in the motion. He clarified that transforming the Niger Delta Development Ministry into the Ministry of Regional Development would not deprive the Niger Delta region of necessary development. Instead, it broadens the ministry’s mandate to include developmental activities across all six geo-political zones in the country.
It is recalled that President Tinubu had, on October 24, replaced the Mi
nistry of Niger Delta Development with the Ministry of Regional Development, thereby expanding its scope. Previously, Rep. Oforji recounted how the Ministry of Niger Delta Development was established on September 10, 2008, by the late President Umaru Yar’Adua, to address the suffering and neglect faced by the oil-rich region. He highlighted that the ministry was designed to foster development, peace, unity, and security in the Niger Delta.
Oforji further noted that the creation of the ministry was a response to long-standing issues such as oil spillage, lack of arable land, and inadequate social amenities, which had fueled militancy in the region. He emphasized the ministry’s role in infrastructural development, environmental protection, and youth empowerment, recalling the Amnesty Programme initiated under President Yar’Adua’s leadership.
Despite the palpable tension in the Niger Delta following the ministry’s dissolution, the House has decided to prioritize the South-South Development Commission Bill. Thi
s bill aligns with those existing in other geo-political zones and falls under the jurisdiction of the newly formed Ministry of Regional Development.