Posted by From Amos Dunia, Abuja on
The only way to realise the objectives behind the creation of the Ministry of Niger Delta is by ensuring functional and community-oriented departments that would directly serve the needs of the people, former Chief of Defence Logistics at the Defence Headquarters, Major General John Edokpayi (Rtd.) has asserted.
The only way to realise the objectives behind the creation of the Ministry of Niger Delta is by ensuring functional and community-oriented departments that would directly serve the needs of the people, former Chief of Defence Logistics at the Defence Headquarters, Major General John Edokpayi (Rtd.) has asserted.
Accordingly, General Edokpayi who earlier in the life of the President Yar'Adua administration submitted a proposal for the creation of the Ministry to the Federal Government, advocated the establishment of departments in the newly created Ministry to handle specific functions in relation to the needs and agitation of the people of the region.
This is even as he stressed the need for the adoption of a workable and attainable positive impact development framework and timeframe for the newly created Federal Ministry of Niger Delta for the actualization of set objectives.
General Edokpayi who has developed a blue print for the actualisation of sustainable peace for the Niger delta told Sunday Sun in a chat, that the key departments should include Security and Intelligence, Public, Multinational and Community relations, Conflict Resolution, Planning, Research and Statistics on Niger Delta, Administration and Logistics, Legal and Due Process as well as that of Youth Empowerment and Employment, among other similar departments in existence in other Ministries.
The retired Army General who also hails from the Niger Delta region further said that the newly created Ministry should be structured on three-pronged programs namely; short-term of five years, Medium-term of ten years and long-term development program of between 15 to 20 years.
General Edokpayi equally cautioned the Federal Government to ensure that the implementation of the plan for the Niger Delta Region is laid upon a solid structure while the framework is monitored at every stage as a demonstration of sincerity and commitment to the success of the region's Master plan.
He explained that now that there exists a Ministry to superintend, supervise, monitor and administer directly the socio-economic and structural development of the Niger Delta region, there is the dire need to ask and clear the pertinent questions of; "what, where, when, why and how" the new Ministry would impact on the region in particular and Nigeria in general.
According to General Edokpayi, "in this respect, the Ministry must be structured along bottom-top administrative framework, representatives of the community interest at the community level, the local government council, the State and Federal at the apex. For example, if you have a department of Health at the federal organogram at the apex ministry, then you must replicate the department at both the State, the local government and the community levels as well as have administrative representation of core components of the Ministry."
General Edokpayi who was also former Directing Staff/Moderator at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), noted that the trade-offs with the creation of the Ministry of Niger Delta include more job creation, more employment and empowerment of youths restiveness in the region and indeed a conducive and stable investment friendly environment for economic growth and stabilization.
He noted that the creation of the Ministry will empower the old, young and youth of the region adding that it would equally bring about faster development to the grassroot at the clan and community based level stressing that it would also stimulate good governance, best practice in policy initiations and execution.
"It will encourage participatory democracy by bringing community stakeholders in taking their destiny into their own hands in project determination, project prioritization, project execution and project monitoring. It will also practicalize the bottom-top development strategy by motivating socio-economic and infrastructure development to be community based, community-friendly and community-driven," General Edokpayi sai