The Niger Delta region is about to witness an unprecedented growth and development owing to the approaches the Minister of Niger Delta is presently taking in getting things done. Engr. Abubakar Momoh is a man of few words but more actions. He believes in his policies and programmes speaking for him than him doing the talking. His commitment of going beyond infrastructural development to more of human capital development is one that the region has been yarning for since September 10, 2008. A positive turnaround in terms of approaches, procedures and ways of running the affairs in the Niger Delta ministry.
It would be recalled that the mandate behind the creation of the Niger Delta ministry was to address core challenges of the oil-rich Niger Delta region which included the training and educating of the Niger Delta youths to curb hostilities and militancy, development of key infrastructural needs of the region thereby promoting diversification and productivity, addressing ennvironmental degradation in the region which has paralyzed agricultural and other economic potential of the region among other important concerns to the region.
In the past, the approach has been one of a centralised system in which every policies and programmes of the region are being carried out in Abuja. The norm was that selected few individuals would be taken to Abuja for empowerment while many others would be left unattended to. The plight of some would be addressed and taken care of while many others would be left to suffer. This method has never been helpful and in fact, created more problems in the region than it was meant to solve.
Brilliantly, Engr. Abubakar Momoh is now changing the narrative with the approach that training sessions would be conducted for youths, women and every categories of people in the region in their respective states rather than Abuja as before. He wants all beneficiaries known by the people in their states and local communities so that after the training, they can as well be engaged in the state. This would surely address the challenge of shortage of man power in the region and subsequently creates chains of productive engagement among the people rather than spending resources on people for training in Abuja and at the end of the day, refused to go back to their communities to contribute positively.
It won’t be out of place to describe the state of medical facilities in the oil-rich Niger Delta region as eyesore. Despite that the region accounts for the major foreign exchange earnings of the federation, the state of medical facilities in the region left one in doubt if there was a ministry overseeing the region before now. Engr. Abubakar Momoh is on a mission to upgrade the medical facilities in the region to world class standard that everyone would be proud of. His commitment is to stop the idea of medical tourism to other parts of the country and abroad by people from the region with a view to putting in place medical facilities that take care of different kinds of health challenges. He believes the region has the capacity to change the narrative for better in no distant time.
As a leader who believes in bringing everyone that matters onboard and creating formidable ground for the region to succeed, Engr. Abubakar Momoh is currently engaging and interacting with all interested stakeholders in the region with the mandate of running an inclusive system where everyone is involved. This approach is beginning to yield positive results as not only the people from the region are now showing interest in contributing to the development of the Niger Delta but foreigners are also making the region a priority. An energy of this nature has never been brought to bear in the administration of the Niger Delta ministry since it creation.
Having been following the activities of the minister of Niger Delta since his assumption of office with keen interest and details, for us at BAT’s 4/4 Renewed Hope Agenda, we are pleased and proud of what he has done and still doing so far. As a support group that believes in the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Federal government, we sincerely identify with the minister and ready to project his good work to any length. In Engr. Abubakar Momoh we have found a leader committed to the vision of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and this we can’t sit on the fence without appreciating his commitment and passion for the Niger Delta region.
We therefore assure the minister of Niger Delta, Engr. Abubakar Momoh of our firm support and encouragement believing that he still has more to offer the people of the region. We also assure him of our partnership towards the enthronement of a better and new Niger Delta region.
