On Thursday, the House of Representatives rejected a motion aimed at reinstating the Federal Ministry of Niger Delta Development. The motion, sponsored by Rep. Oboku Oforji (PDP-Bayelsa), was dismissed after Speaker Tajudeen Abbas announced that President Bola Tinubu had expressed willingness to sign the South-South Development Commission Bill.
Abbas informed the House that the motion was considered outdated due to recent developments. Majority Leader Rep. Julius Ihonvbere (APC-Edo) acknowledged the importance of the issues raised in the motion but asserted that transforming the Niger Delta Development Ministry into the Ministry of Regional Development would not hinder the region’s progress. He claimed that this change would broaden the ministry’s scope to support developmental initiatives across all six geopolitical zones of the country.
The ministry was dissolved on October 24, with its functions expanded under the new ministry to address developmental activities nationwide. Oforji highlighted that the Ministry of Niger Delta Development was established on September 10, 2008, under late President Umaru Yar’Adua to facilitate the development and security of the Niger Delta region.
Oforji lamented that the region had long suffered from neglect, environmental degradation, and lack of basic services, leading to increased militancy. He emphasized that the creation of the ministry was crucial for promoting peace and addressing the grievances of the people in the oil-rich region.
Despite the tensions following the ministry’s dissolution, the House opted to prioritize the South-South Development Commission Bill, which is already in place in other geopolitical zones and will operate under the new Ministry of Regional Development.