A group, the National Development Group for Peace, has commended the Minister, Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, for his “legendary” commitment and genuine effort at sustaining peace in the Niger Delta region.
In a press statement made available to newsmen in Abuja, the group, with headquarters in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, stated that, “rather than vilify Akpabio for making the trip through the creeks, he should be commended and encouraged to do more for the peace of the region.”
The group in a statement signed by Comrades Oluwagbemiga Akinmade and Peter Koko, president and secretary respectively, said the minister’s efforts towards sustaining peace in the oil-producing region must be encouraged and commended by every lover of peace and development.
“Let us state here without any fear of contradiction that if not for the courage Akpabio had to visit the region through the creeks, in order to achieve peace in the zone, no one knows what would have become of the zone today, particularly when the seven-day ultimatum given the federal government and his ministry to put in place a substantive board for the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) remained only three days.
“It is on record that after Akpabio’s visit and meeting with the critical stakeholders in the region and the assurance he gave them at the parley, the Niger Delta region has continued to enjoy peace, which is a major ingredient for development,” it said.
The group called on President Muhammadu Buhari, through his Minister of Niger Delta, to keep to his promise of reconstituting the NDDC board on or before July 2021, as promised during the meeting, in order to sustain peace in the area.