“We Won’t Allow It” – Clark Hits Back at FG for Scrapping N/Delta Ministry

Elder statesman and leader of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Edwin Clark, has expressed shock and disappointment over the federal government’s recent decision to scrap the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs.

On Wednesday, President Bola Tinubu approved the scrapping of the Niger Delta Ministry during the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the State House in Abuja, raising concerns about the future of development projects in the oil-rich region.

“There’s no basis for scrapping it,” Clark asserted, emphasizing the ministry’s role in maintaining peace and driving development in the region.

The ministry was established by the late former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua to address security and development challenges in the Niger Delta.

The PANDEF leader also criticized the lack of consultation with Niger Delta leaders, arguing that long-standing issues in the region remain unresolved. He stated that the ministry’s dissolution could divert resources away from local development. Clark further expressed worry about the fate of key projects, such as the East-West Road, which has been transferred to the Ministry of Works without clear plans for its completion.

Clark urged the government to develop a replacement plan before dissolving the ministry. “We will not allow it to be scrapped; the government wants to use South-South money to develop other regions,” he warned.