N/Delta Basin Development Authority partners PAP for progress

Nathan Tamarapreye, Yenagoa

The Managing Director, Chief Executive, Niger Delta Basin Development Authority (NDBDA), Prince Ebitimi Amgbare on Tuesday said it is collaborating with the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) for the development of the Niger Delta region.

A statement by Mr Isaac Ombe. Special Assistant on Media to Amgbare noted that the two organisations will approach the development task by the vision of the Willinks Commission of 1957.

Amgbare said this during a courtesy visit to the PAP Administrator, Dr. Dennis Otuaro also re-echoed the importance of the Authority in the Niger Delta area.

He recalled that the authority was conceived as a special-purpose vehicle to drive development in the Niger Delta Basin.

Amgbare who was at the PAP office to discuss issues of development of the Niger Delta region recalled that when the Authority could not achieve its goals several other agencies were set up to meet the agitations of the region.

He added that another purpose of his visit was to seek PAP’s assistance in the area of food security campaigns being embarked upon by the Authority.

He said: “My visit is  primarily to forge synergy with the PAP office to drive meaningful economic development of the region in line with the vision of the Willinks Commission of 1957.

“The Niger Delta Basin Development Authority was conceived as a special purpose vehicle to drive development in the Niger Delta Basin.

“However, when it failed to achieve its goals agitation in the region heightened giving birth to other interventionist agencies like the Directorate of Food Roads and Rural Infrastructure, (DFRRI), Oil Mineral Producing Areas Development Commission, (OMPADEC) Niger Delta Development Commission, (NDDC) and the latest being PAP.

“My mission to PAP is  to seek  your  cooperation to drive home the “Food Security Is The Real Security” campaign of   the NDBDA” 

In his response, Dr. Otuaro reiterated the commitment of the PAP office to addressing the agitation of the Niger Delta people through various development strategies, noting that agriculture is one real means to achieving human and national security.

Otuaro explained that plans are being put in place by  the Amnesty program  to expand its dragnet to include scholarship programmes to non-arms bearers like women to learn vocational skills in an effort towards sustaining the desired lasting peace in the Niger Delta.

He assured the NDBDA boss of PAP’s preparedness to tackle the perennial flooding and its concomitant challenges in the region together with the Authority.

Otuaro commended Amgbare for sustaining a sterling track record and his dedication to the development of the Niger Delta, assuring that the two agencies will work together to achieve President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda in the region.

“I will not work at cross-purposes with you  in executing Mr President’s Renewed Hope Agenda in the Niger Delta region,” Otuaro said.

*Left: Prince Ebitimi Amgbare, MD/CEO, NDBDA, in warm handshake with Dr Dennis Otuaro, PAP Administrator during the visit in Abuja