The Administrator, Presidential Amnesty Programme, (PAP), Dr. Dennis Otuaro, has appealed to the management of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, to pay special attention to project design in the riverine areas of the region.

The PAP boss made the appeal during a technical session of Niger Delta Stakeholders’ Summit 2024, according to a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Mr Igoniko Oduma.

The three days Stakeholders Submit is themed ‘Renewed Hope for Sustainable Development of the Niger Delta’ organised by the NDDC in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

“I know that the terrains of NDDC states are different, but my appeal is that for projects that are to be sited in the riverine areas, the NDDC should take a critical look at the designs because the designs are the contracting models. Compare the way you do contracts in those riverine communities and those in the upland areas,” he said in the statement.

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He stated in the state that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is interested in sustainable development, stability and peace of the Niger Delta region.

The administrator further emphasised that leaders and stakeholders from the Niger Delta have a key role to play in providing sustainable development in the oil-rich region.

Otuaro expressed confidence in Tinubu’s commitment to the accelerated progress of the region, insisting that the President would not disappoint the people.

He pointed out that without stakeholders and community people contributing their quota to peaceful initiatives, sustainable growth and development could elude the communities in the area.

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He posited that it was for this reason that the PAP in the penultimate week held a four-day stakeholders’ engagement in Warri, Delta State, to drive home Mr. President’s genuine desire for sustained peace and growth of the region under his renewed hope mantra.

While underscoring the important place of stakeholders in the development process of communities, Otuaro advocated that project designs and contract models should take into consideration the peculiarities of riverine and upland communities.

He added, “Stakeholders engagement by the NDDC has been long expected over the years. That is why we at the Presidential Amnesty Programme, two weeks ago, organised our stakeholders’ meetings (in Warri, Delta State) where we assured everybody about the renewed hope agenda of Mr. President.

“Mr President has the political will to support the development of the Niger Delta. We know that he will not disappoint us but, we, as community people and stakeholders, have a role to play because this peace we are talking about is for us, comes first, before oil.

“When there is no peace in our villages, many of us will not be able to go to our villages.

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“Therefore, stakeholders engagement is a critical part in the design of community projects. The management of the NDDC knows the critical role of peace and stability for the development of the Niger Delta.

“Peace, security and stability have to do with the stakeholders, including the traditional rulers, youths, women and others, many of whom were alienated from the activities of the NDDC. And people don’t really know what is happening.”

Otuaro admonished all stakeholders to take advantage of the NDDC stakeholders’ summit to encourage the interventionist agency to deliver on its objectives for the region.

“Today, all of us as stakeholders should grab the opportunity of this dialogue with both hands and encourage the management of the NDDC to continue with this stakeholders engagement.

“When we encourage them, they will seek our opinions even on projects in our areas, especially on the immediate needs of communities.”