By Chris Ochayi

Determined to address the challenge of infrastructure confronting the region, the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs has concluded arrangements to convene a stakeholders’ conference, which will afford participants the opportunity to develop a framework that will fast track the development of the region.

Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe who disclosed this while receiving the Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Engr. Tele Ikuru, who led the delegation of traditional rulers and other state executive members on a visit to him in his Abuja office, said those expected at the conference include, all the State Governors, the Deputy Governors, some key Commissioners and traditional rulers.

The minister, who rekindled the present administration’s commitment to transform the region, said President Goodluck Jonathan who is also from the region, is working day and night to deliver sustainable infrastructure to the people of the Niger Delta.

“In the next two months, we will be having a stakeholders’ conference where all the governors, the deputy governors, some key commissioners, traditional rulers, youths, women as well as men will be invited to discuss on what we called collaborative infrastructure development framework for the Niger Delta,” he said.

Orubebe added that, “the master plan that was developed by the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, is more or less like a total encyclopaedia of what we expect to have in the Niger Delta.  But the Ministry of Niger Delta is reducing it to practical term so that people will know what they are expected to do. We are working with UNDP, and all our donors’ agencies, developer partners for the projects.

“We are working round the clock to ensure that whatever that is required for the completion of the East West Road in terms of financial resources must be gotten from the appropriate quarters.” He said and assured that the road would be completed in 2014.

Earlier, the Deputy Governor, Engr. Tele Ikuru had commended the Minister for efforts made in the dualization of  the East West road.

Ikuru who decried the attitude of the Federal Government towards the state regretted that there has been virtually no Federal Government presence in the state in terms of contract awards in last twenty-five years.