Tinubu Has Political Will To Develop N/Delta – Otuaro

The Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Dr Dennis Otuaro, has said that President Bola Tinubu has the political will to support the sustainable development, stability and peace of the Niger Delta.
Otuaro, who spoke at the Technical Session of the Niger Delta Stakeholders’ Summit 2024 with the theme, “Renewed Hope for Sustainable Development of the Niger Delta,” organised by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) in Port Harcourt, Rivers, on Wednesday, also noted that communities and stakeholders from the Niger Delta also have a vital role to play in ensuring the progress of the region.
Otuaro emphasised that without stakeholders and communities contributing their quota to peaceful initiatives, sustainable growth and development could elude the communities
He emphasised that it was for this reason that the PAP penultimate week held a four-day stakeholders’ engagement in Warri, Delta State, to drive home Mr President’s genuine desire for sustained peace and growth of the region under his renewed hope mantra.
While underscoring the important place of stakeholders in the development process of communities, the PAP administrator advocated that project designs and contract models should take into consideration the peculiarities of communities.
He said, “Mr President has the political will to support the development of the Niger Delta. We know that he will not disappoint us but, we, as community people and stakeholders, have a role to play because this peace we are talking about, for us, comes first before oil. When there is no peace in our villages, many of us will not be able to go to our villages.
“Therefore, stakeholders engagement is a critical part in the design of community projects. The management of the NDDC knows the critical role of peace and stability for the development of the Niger Delta.
“Peace, security and stability have to do with the stakeholders, including the traditional rulers, youths, women and others, many of whom were alienated from the activities of the NDDC. And people don’t really know what is happening.”
He advised NDDC to take a critical look at the designs before they engage contractors to execute them because terrains in the riverine areas are different from designs in the upland areas.