Niger Delta Ministry
Encyclopedia
The Niger Delta Ministry was announced by Nigeria
n President Umaru Yar'Adua on 10 September 2008. The new ministry would have a Minister in charge of development of Niger Delta area, and a Minister of State in charge of youth empowerment. The existing Niger Delta Development Commission
(NDDC) was to become a parastatal under the ministry.
Yar'Adua said that the Ministry would coordinate efforts to tackle the challenges of infrastructural development, environment protection and youth empowerment in the Niger Delta
.
The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta
(MEND) treated the announcement with caution, saying the new Ministry could be yet another avenue for corruption and political favoritism.
Although the Delta region is the main source of government income, it is poor and poorly governed, suffering from violence and corruption. Activists have called for real government in the region, infrastructural development and jobs. Human rights activists are concerned that the new bureaucracy will stall progress in addressing these issues.
In December 2008, Yar'Adua appointed Ufot Ekaette
as Minister of Niger Delta Affairs and Godswill Orubebe as Minister of State.
The Permanent Secretary was Dr. Yahaya A. Abdullahi.
In July 2009 Yar'Adua appointed Larry Koinyan of Bayelsa State
, a retired Air Vice Marshal, as the new chairman of the NDDC.
In August 2009, the Ministry held a job fair in Abuja attended by over 30 companies. The ministry claimed that over 11,000 jobs and training offers were secured during the fair.
In November 2009, President Yar'Adua proposed to allocate N64bn to the Niger Delta ministry for its 2010 budget.
Defending the proposed budget in December 2009 before the Senate Committee on Niger Delta, chaired by Senator James Manager
, Obong Uffot Ekaette explained that the ministry had difficulties achieving targets in 2009 because the N19.5bn allocated for its projects was unevenly spread.
Ex-militants have protested the award of contracts to companies from outside the region, indicating that these projects may be disrupted by aggrieved local people.
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
n President Umaru Yar'Adua on 10 September 2008. The new ministry would have a Minister in charge of development of Niger Delta area, and a Minister of State in charge of youth empowerment. The existing Niger Delta Development Commission
Niger Delta Development Commission
The Niger Delta Development Commission is a Federal Government agency established by Nigerian president, Olusegun Obasanjo in the year 2000 with the sole mandate of developing the oil-rich Niger Delta region of southern Nigeria....
(NDDC) was to become a parastatal under the ministry.
Yar'Adua said that the Ministry would coordinate efforts to tackle the challenges of infrastructural development, environment protection and youth empowerment in the Niger Delta
Niger Delta
The Niger Delta, the delta of the Niger River in Nigeria, is a densely populated region sometimes called the Oil Rivers because it was once a major producer of palm oil...
.
The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta
Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta
The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta is one of the largest militant groups in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. The organization claims to expose exploitation and oppression of the people of the Niger Delta and devastation of the natural environment by public-private partnerships...
(MEND) treated the announcement with caution, saying the new Ministry could be yet another avenue for corruption and political favoritism.
Although the Delta region is the main source of government income, it is poor and poorly governed, suffering from violence and corruption. Activists have called for real government in the region, infrastructural development and jobs. Human rights activists are concerned that the new bureaucracy will stall progress in addressing these issues.
In December 2008, Yar'Adua appointed Ufot Ekaette
Ufot Ekaette
Ufot Ekaette was appointed the first Nigerian Minister of Niger Delta on 17 December 2008 by President Umaru Yar'Adua.He left office in March 2010 when Acting President Goodluck Jonathan dissolved his cabinet.-Background:...
as Minister of Niger Delta Affairs and Godswill Orubebe as Minister of State.
The Permanent Secretary was Dr. Yahaya A. Abdullahi.
In July 2009 Yar'Adua appointed Larry Koinyan of Bayelsa State
Bayelsa State
Bayelsa State is a state in southern Nigeria in the core Niger Delta region, between Delta State and Rivers State. Its capital is Yenagoa. The language spoken here is Ijaw language and dialects of the Ijaw language such as Nembe, Atissa, Akassa, Ogbia, etc. However, like the rest of Nigeria,...
, a retired Air Vice Marshal, as the new chairman of the NDDC.
In August 2009, the Ministry held a job fair in Abuja attended by over 30 companies. The ministry claimed that over 11,000 jobs and training offers were secured during the fair.
In November 2009, President Yar'Adua proposed to allocate N64bn to the Niger Delta ministry for its 2010 budget.
Defending the proposed budget in December 2009 before the Senate Committee on Niger Delta, chaired by Senator James Manager
James Manager
James Manager is a Nigerian senator who represents the People's Democratic Party in the Delta South Senatorial District of Delta State. He became a senator in 2007.-Background:...
, Obong Uffot Ekaette explained that the ministry had difficulties achieving targets in 2009 because the N19.5bn allocated for its projects was unevenly spread.
Ex-militants have protested the award of contracts to companies from outside the region, indicating that these projects may be disrupted by aggrieved local people.