It’s to enhance regional development coordination — Former Minister explains why Niger Delta ministry was scrapped

Abubakar Momoh, the former Minister of Niger Delta Development, has expressed support for the federal government’s decision to scrap the Ministry of Niger Delta Development, stating that it will enhance regional development coordination across the country.

On Wednesday, October 23, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) announced the dissolution of both the Niger Delta and Sports Development ministries, following a meeting presided over by President Bola Tinubu in Abuja. The responsibilities of these ministries will now fall under newly established agencies, with the Ministry of Regional Development overseeing the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and other regional development commissions.

Momoh, who has been retained as the minister in charge of the new Ministry of Regional Development, assured that the restructuring is a purely administrative move that will not affect the focus on the Niger Delta region. Speaking with State House correspondents, he emphasized that the NDDC remains intact and that the change is aimed at improving coordination among the country’s various regional commissions.

“For our people in the Niger Delta region, I would like them to know that this has not removed anything from them. The NDDC is still very much in place under the Ministry of Regional Development, and all other such agencies remain intact,” Momoh stated.

He described the restructuring as a “forward-thinking move” by President Tinubu to centralize oversight of regional development initiatives, adding that the change would expand the ministry’s activities and improve service delivery.

The newly established Ministry of Regional Development will now oversee the NDDC, as well as the North West Development Commission (NWDC), South West Development Commission (SWDC), and North East Development Commission (NEDC).