Nigeria’s Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo has revealed that the federal government will set aside N4 trillion for investment in the transport and energy sectors in Nigeria.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, Osinbajo’s remark was made by the managing director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Mr Dan Abia, at the 4th Niger Delta Development Forum in Asaba, Delta state, today, November 17.
Dan Abia who represented the vice president, stated that the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration was committed to partnering with the private sector to reduce poverty in the country.
He said: “We will not measure how well we have performed by macroeconomic indicators but by how many millions of Nigerians we are able to ring out of poverty.
“So, collaborating with the private, we will impact the youths through agriculture, information technology and skills development in other areas aimed at reducing unemployment in the country.’’
Mr Abia also urged those concerned with the development of the Niger Delta region to protect and instigate development in their domain, while encouraging private sector operators to explore the opportunities in the energy/power sector to drive the small and medium scale enterprises.
On his part, the host governor, Ifeanyi Okowa opined that although the country was passing through “turbulent time’’, the region would benefit if they see it as an opportunity to diversify.
Okowa tasked the forum to provide an overview of the state of natural resource exploitation in the Niger Delta, while advicing the organisers to deepen the collaboration between the private and public sectors in addressing poverty, unemployment and inequality.
The forum, organised by PIND Foundation, in partnership with USAID-Nigeria, had Collaborative Efforts for Stimulating Investment and Inclusive Economic Growth in the Niger Delta, as theme.
Meanwhile, the federal government has been accused of planning to use funds from the NDDC to influence the forthcoming election in Bayelsa state in favour of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The allegation is from a group called Bayelsa Votes whose coordinator, Thomas Dokubo alleges that the national leadership of the APC feels indebted to the party’s gubernatorial candidate, Chief Timipre Sylva because of his financial commitments to the campaign of President Buhari.
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