By Festus Ahon
UGHELLI—A legal practitioner, Mr Jesutega Onokpasa, has charged the Niger Delta Ministry to spearhead the development of the region in concert with state and local government authorities in the area.

According to him, bureaucracy and officialdom should not be allowed to get in the way of providing development for the long sufferings of the people of the region.

Onokpasa, who stated this in a press statement made available to Vanguard yesterday, said: “It is indeed truly sad that the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs is generally perceived as having failed to meet the expectations of Niger Deltans thus far.

“Given that it was set up by President Yar’Adua to midwife a regenerative renaissance in the region, I quite agree with the House of Representatives who recently carpeted the ministry on account of its snail like pace in delivering on its mandate.

“Under-performance cannot be glossed over on the nauseating excuse of due process, pre-qualification and a plethora of consultancy contracts.

“What is required in the region is a fast-track process of empowerment through intensive human resources development and massive infrastructural investment.

“Expenditure of billions on consultancy only amounts to adding a most infuriating insult to the debilitating injury the region has already undergone.

“While the likes of Dr. Uduaghan of Delta State and similarly minded officials in the region have performed creditably well in the light of the challenges posed by the peculiarities of the Niger Delta, it would be indefensibly unfair not to lend them the requisite helping hand that should bring about a visible improvement in the lot of such a crucial, yet long neglected part of the Nigerian commonwealth.”