The Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has urged the federal government to support the development of modular refineries in the Niger Delta, noting that it would checkmate unauthorized practices associated with refining of crude oil and provide employment for youths in the region.
In a communique signed at the weekend in Uyo by its National Chairman, Senator Emmanuel Ibok Essien, after an expanded National Executive Council (NEC) meeting, PANDEF said the modular refineries would also help to curb criminality in the area.
They noted with dismay that the social and economic activities of the region have been crippled by the collapse of major roads in the area.
PANDEF urged the federal government to urgently fix bad roads in the region especially some sections of the East-West Road on the Eleme-Onne, Patani, Kiama-Mbiama axis, adding that the rising rate of poverty in the Niger Delta is caused by the deplorable condition of critical infrastructure in the region.
The highways have all become impassable including sections of Port Harcourt–Aba, Benin-Auchi, Benin-Sapale-Warri, Benin-Agbor, Sapele–Agbor, Calabar–Itu, Ikot Ekpene-Aba.
“It is entirely unacceptable that the proverbial goose that lays the golden egg is being neglected, administration after administration.
“We demand immediate intervention works on the failed sections of the cited roads, and others, by the Federal Ministry of Works, and other relevant agencies, too, without further delay, ameliorate the sufferings of the people”.
“PANDEF calls on the Federal Government to revisit the issue of supporting the development of Modular Refineries in the Niger Delta Region, to stamp out unwholesome, unauthorized refining of crude, as a way of providing employment for the teeming youths in the Niger Delta Region, and to curb criminality.
“We strongly caution youths of the Niger Delta Region to desist from unwarranted utterances capable of undermining the smooth functioning of federal agencies with direct bearing on the socio-economic development of the Region”.
Meanwhile The group commended the National Assembly for revisiting the vexatious issue of the ceding of Bakassi to Cameroon.
“We commend the National Assembly for revisiting the Bakassi issue, which is of dire interest to the people, and urge the National Assembly to pursue the issue to a logical conclusion.
“We note that the unresolved issues arising from the ceding of Bakassi to Cameroon on account of the World Court Judgement and the Green Tree Agreement continue to threaten the wellbeing of the Bakassi people, and the security of the southernmost part of the Niger Delta Region,”.
They further thanked President Bola Tinubu for zoning the position of senate president to the Niger Delta, promising to revisit the region’s 16-point demands to the FG.
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