By Obiabin Onukwugha
The United Nations, UN, and the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, have organised a stakeholders’ dialogue to identify challenges facing the Niger Delta region. The dialogue aims to align the region with the UN’s Six Transitions and the Niger Delta Regional Development Strategy.
Speaking, NDDC Director of Planning, Research, and Statistics, Dr. Patterson Ogon, highlighted the key areas of focus to include problem identification, as well as solution design and prioritisation.
Ogon advocated the adequate use of the region’s natural resources, such as wind and solar, in generating power. He called for more effective and efficient use of Informstion and Communication Technology (ICT) by youths in the region to achieve economic independence.
Ogon proposed a synergy between major stakeholders in the region to ensure that quality education was bequeathed to the people of the region and urged people of the region to take charge of growing their own food, capitalising on the fertile region.
A consultant for the Niger Delta Regional Development Strategy, Mr. Stephen Onerhime, outlined the strategies adopted for the region’s development to include: economic, infrastructural, social and environmental development, as well as governance, institutions, security, law and order, and financing the plans.
He highlighted the advantages of the Niger Delta Regional Development Strategy, including a harmonised plan geared towards producing a standard, acceptable framework for the Niger Delta region; a monitoring and evaluation mechanism to ensure the impact of projects in the area, as well as the progress and effectiveness of these projects.
The Project Coordinator of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project, HYPREP, Professor Nenibarini Zabbey, noted that the bodu has been implementing remedial activities at the 65 UNEP sites through soil and groundwater treatment. He said the adopted methodologies for the shoreline cleanup include shoreline treatment and artisanal refinery treatment.
Zabbey who was represented by Mr. Agunyi Paul, said the agency had launched the world’s largest initiative to restore mangroves damaged by oil pollution, focusing on monitoring the growth and progress of planted mangroves towards maturity. He emphasised the ongoing remediation in Ogoni, saying it has the potential to protect shorelines, improve food security, mitigate the impacts of floods, control climate change, and provide adaptation benefits.
