President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and its subsidiary companies to complete section 4 of the East-West Road from Eleme Roundabout to Onne Junction through the tax credit scheme.
Buhari gave the directive during the opening ceremony of a meeting of the 5th National Council on Niger Delta in Uyo on Thursday.
“The East-West Road project which is now being handled by the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, is the largest infrastructure project in Nigeria.
“It is a very strategic road, connecting the country’s busiest and foremost commercial cities in the region.
“This would be expeditiously addressed, considering the importance of the road to our national economy,” Buhari said.
The President, who was represented by Mohammed Abdullahi, the Minister of Environment, reassured that the completion of the East-West Road was a top priority for the Buhari administration.
The President noted that one of the cardinal mandates of his administration was to tackle corruption.
He said that Forensic Audit of NNDC had been submitted, and implementation of its recommendation had begun in phases.
“I hereby assure you that this process will eventually bring about the constitution of a new board for the commission, which is the desire of most stakeholders in the region,” he said.
Mr Umana Umana, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, said the objective of the conference was to canvass for more and sustained collaboration with development partners and other stakeholders in the formulation and implementation of policies and programmes designed for the improvement of life in the Niger Delta Region.
Umana said the meeting was important for the ministry and other stakeholders as it offered opportunity to strategise towards collective engagement with the mandate of reinventing the Niger Delta Region.
He said that the theme of the council meeting – “Harnessing 21st Century Development Initiatives and Strategies for Greater Development Impacts in the Niger Delta Region”, further addressed the need to develop new strategies that would help the federal government to reposition the region for a better economic development, including infrastructure, healthcare, manpower and security.
Umana said, the ministry was partnering relevant agencies, development partners, international oil companies and other stakeholders on infrastructure development, investment in social services and institutional capacity building for Niger Delta Region.
Umana who is also the Chairman of Council, promised to publish a compendium of projects undertaken by the ministry in all the Niger Delta Region.