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From Adesuwa Tsan, Abuja
The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has accused the Federal Government of sidelining the South-South in the allocation of the N3.9 trillion approved for road infrastructure projects across the country, warning that the continued neglect of the oil-rich region could deepen feelings of marginalisation.
Addressing a press conference in Abuja on Friday, the group’s Board of Trustees and National Executive Committee expressed disappointment that despite the Federal Executive Council’s (FEC) approval of 26 major road projects across 15 states, the South-South received virtually no significant allocation.
Speaking on behalf of the group, the national chairman of PANDEF, Goodknows Igali, commended President Bola Tinubu and the FEC for committing huge resources to infrastructure development, but said the distribution of projects failed to reflect equity or the strategic importance of the Niger Delta to Nigeria’s economy.
“It is troubling and shocking that out of the 26 major projects covering 15 states, the only one nearest to the South-South is the road connecting Benue State with Cross River State at the sum of N886 billion, with absolutely no allocation for any other road that runs through major parts of the South-South,” he noted.
The group noted that the longstanding lack of road infrastructure has continued to isolate communities within the region, making movement of people and goods difficult despite the area’s enormous contribution to national revenue through oil and gas production.
PANDEF also lamented the slow pace of work on the East-West Road, saying the highway has now become “a metaphor for a failed project.”
Igali further noted that despite repeated assurances by the Minister of Works that the project would be completed speedily, there has been little visible progress.
Speaking further, the forum also lamented the neglect of major ports in the Niger Delta, including those in Calabar, Onne, Port Harcourt and Warri, saying there are no clear plans for their rehabilitation, modernisation or upgrade.
Describing the situation as “starving the goose that lays the golden egg,” PANDEF warned that the continued neglect of the region fuels a sense of alienation among its people.
The group therefore urged President Tinubu to review the allocation of infrastructure projects and ensure that the South-South receives what it called fair treatment in future federal interventions.
“The people of the Niger Delta therefore call on Mr. President to look into this matter with a view to reversing the situation, bearing in mind that the Niger Delta region is the revenue base of the country,” it stated.
Despite its grievances, PANDEF reaffirmed the region’s commitment to supporting national development, assuring the Federal Government that the Niger Delta would continue to provide an enabling environment for increased oil and gas production.
It added that the people of the region only seek “greater fairness, equity and justice” in the distribution of national infrastructure projects.
