The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide has strongly criticized President Bola Tinubu’s decision to abolish the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, calling it unacceptable for the people of the region.
In a statement from the IYC Secretary-General, Maobuye Nangi Obu, released on Friday, November 1, in Port Harcourt, the group urged the President to reconsider this move for the sake of regional development and national economic stability.
Obu emphasized that instead of eliminating development-focused structures, the Niger Delta needs more specialized programs, projects, ministries, and intervention agencies. He suggested that if there were concerns about overlapping functions, the ministry could have been reformed to better address specific challenges in the region rather than being dismantled.
“There is no justification whatsoever to dismantle structures established for Niger Delta development,” Obu stated. He pointed out that if an intervention agency is underperforming, the government should work to reform it to meet the unique needs of the region.
He also highlighted the ongoing challenges faced by the Niger Delta, including difficult terrain and environmental degradation from oil exploitation—issues that affect the region despite the resources being used to fund projects in other areas of the country.
Obu called for recognition of the Niger Delta as a “special territory” that requires multiple federal interventions. He said, “We expect President Tinubu, who understands our challenges, to appreciate the need for the Niger Delta Ministry rather than endorsing its removal.”
The IYC is urging the President to reinstate the ministry and assign it a unique mandate, as well as to create additional programs and projects to tackle the numerous obstacles to development in the region.
