Rita Odafe
Abubakar Momoh, the ex-Minister of Niger Delta Development, has expressed his support for the federal government’s decision to dissolve the Ministry of Niger Delta Development.
He believes this change will improve regional development coordination throughout the nation.
On October 23, during a meeting chaired by President Bola Tinubu, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) revealed the merger of the Niger Delta and Sports Development ministries. Their responsibilities will now transition to newly formed agencies, which include the Ministry of Regional Development overseeing the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) along with other regional commissions.
Momoh, who will continue as the minister of the new Ministry of Regional Development, emphasized that this restructuring is an administrative measure that will not diminish the emphasis on the Niger Delta. He assured reporters that the NDDC remains fully operational and that the aim is to enhance cooperation among regional commissions across the country.
“I want to assure the people of the Niger Delta that this change does not take anything away from them. The NDDC is still active under the Ministry of Regional Development, and all related agencies are secure,” Momoh remarked.
He characterized the restructuring as a proactive initiative by President Tinubu to streamline the management of regional development efforts, which he believes will broaden the ministry’s functions and enhance service delivery.
The new Ministry of Regional Development will now oversee the NDDC, as well as the North West Development Commission (NWDC), South West Development Commission (SWDC), and North East Development Commission (NEDC).
