In a rare display of bravery and commitment to peace in the Niger Delta Region, the Minister, Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, on Thursday, journeyed through the creeks to meet with the King of Gbaramatu Kingdom, His Royal Majesty William Ogoba and other critical stakeholders as a way towards maintaining peace in the Niger Delta Region.
Akpabio, who said his visit to the Area was to rub minds with the people on how to meet their demands, noted that the current peace being enjoyed in the Region should be maintained for the development of the Region.
The Minister and his entourage which included the deputy governor of Delta State, Kingsley Burutu Otuaro, the Joint Task Force Commander , Operations Rear Admiral Aminu Hassan, his Chief of Staff, Etekamba Umoren, and Alhaji Nasiru, Director, General Services, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs journeyed through the creeks for the peace meeting.
In an interactive session with the Minister, which had in attendance the newly installed President of Ijaw Leaders, Prof Benjamin Okaba and leaders of other ethnic nationalities and traditional rulers, the people of the Region called on President Muhammadu Buhari and the Minister to put in place a substantive board for the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), to run side by side with the Forensic Audit.
On the installation of a substantive board for the NDDC, Akpabio assured the stakeholders that a new board would be duly inaugurated after the forensic audit in July.
The Stakeholders who had earlier given a 7 day ultimatum to the Federal Government to constitute the NDDC board, or face total show down with oil companies operating in the Region, however, thanked Akpabio for the peaceful visit and agreed to review their stance having listened to the submission of the Minister, while thanking the president for the recent commissioning of the long abandoned headquarters of the Commission.
They also requested for more development from President Buhari to the Region, through their son, Senator Akpabio.
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