Elder statesman and chairman of Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Edwin Clark, on Wednesday told the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, to stop interfering in the operations of the Niger Delta Development Commission.
He also called on the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd), to set aside a special fund to complete the East-West Road started by ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Clark spoke during the visit of the Niger Delta Development Commission, led by the Interim Administrator Effiong Okon.
He said, “For some time, some of us have been advising the minister, don’t abandon your ministry and concentrate on NDDC it is not fair. The Minister of Transportation does not concentrate on NPA or NIMASA or railways. The Minister of State (Petroleum) did not concentrate on NNPC.
“So the problem we have is the constant interference with the affairs of NNDC by the minister of Niger Delta.
“I was shocked when the minister announced that the East-West Road must be completed, N18bn was voted for the ministry for capital project. And the minister said we are going to spend about N16bn on the road.
“I see no reason why the Federal Ministry of Works should not be in charge of the East-West Road.
“So we have been protesting that the Federal Government should make available special funds for that very important economic road. In the recent budget, Kano State alone has three roads within Kano costing about N60bn to be constructed with our oil money.”