In a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday by his Senior Technical Adviser ( Policy) , Donald Ojogo, the minister said the renewed hostilities in the region were capable of distracting plans the current administration has for the region just as he appealed to the armed groups to engage in meaningful dialogue with government.
The minister, who is the only Ijaw man in the Federal cabinet
The stat!ement said: ‘The Honourable Minister using this medium to appeal to the Niger Delta Avengers and others to follow the path of peace through meaningful dialogue. The issue not in dispute is the fact that our region, the Niger Delta oil belt is in dire need of development which successive administrations have tried to address. It is also a shared agreement that governments after governments have attempted to evolve peculiar ways of addressing these developmental challenges.
”The President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration is not different in this regard. As Mr President has said on several occasions, this administration has plans for the Niger-Delta region. What is required and most desirable under the current circumstances is understanding and support.
”In this regard, the resort to violence cannot, and should not be a desirable option to address the myriad of challenges facing our region. We have moved beyond this path. Returning to it can only be self-inflicting and capable of taking us many years backwards.”
