'The Niger Delta region is incredibly blessed' - Osinbajo

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has promised the Niger Delta region that the Buhari administration remains resolute in its guest to complete critical projects in the region.

Osinbajo gave the guarantee through Edobor Iyamu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Niger Delta Affairs in the Office of the Vice President at the 6th Anniversary Lecture/Niger Delta Awards Organised by Gbaramatu Voice Newspaper, which held in Lagos on Tuesday, August 10, 2021.

According to the vice president, “beyond its oil wealth, the Niger Delta region is incredibly blessed with diverse human capital across education, sports, technology, creative arts, entertainment, economy, and many other sectors.

“In 2017, following my tour of the Niger Delta, which involved extensive consultations with key stakeholders in the region, the New Vision for the Niger Delta was birthed in response to the various challenges which had been plaguing our people.

"The objective of this New Vision is to ensure that the people of the region benefit maximally from their wealth, through promoting infrastructural developments, environmental remediation and local content development.

“As part of the quest to expand economic opportunities in the region, this administration has promoted investments in modular refineries.

"The objective of this initiative is to address our present energy demands and empower the Niger Delta people through promoting local content,” Osinbajo said.

He also spoke on the ongoing remediation exercise in Ogoni land, Rivers State, which was kick-started by the Buhari administration following recommendations from UNEP.

According to Osinbajo, “it is important to note that the Ogoni clean-up is the first of its kind in the history of the Niger Delta. Indeed, this is the first time the federal government is directly involved in remediation activities within the region.

“We are equally committed to expanding infrastructure in the region. This includes the ongoing construction work on the 34-kilometers Bonny-Bodo Road/Bridge, which has been abandoned for decades.

"When completed, the project, which was flagged off in October 2017, would connect several major communities and boost socio-economic development in the region.

“The Itakpe-Ajaokuta-Warri Rail Line project, which was commissioned by Mr. President in September 2020, and has the capacity to handle both passenger and freight services, is connecting several communities and promoting commerce within the region.

“The federal government is also developing a number of deep sea ports across the region, including the Bonny, Warri, and Ibom Deep Sea Ports, among other development projects such as the establishment of Export Processing Zones to boost economic activities.

“In 2018, the National Universities Commission (NUC) approved the commencement of undergraduate degree programmes at the Nigerian Maritime University in Okerenkoko, Delta State, which happens to be situated in the great Gbaramatu Kingdom.”

The vice president stated that factors such as the decline in demand for Nigeria's crude oil, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on global energy demand and on government’s earning, require creative and holistic approach to foster economic growth.