Nigeria’s Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, has reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to implementing the Niger Delta Master Plan to drive the development of the region.

Professor Osinbajo gave the assurance on Monday at the inaugural meeting of Partners for Sustainable Development Forum.

At the meeting organised by the Niger Delta Development Commission, in Port Harcourt, the Vice President said that President Muhammadu Buhari had also expressed concern with current degradation of the environment with a view to addressing challenges faced by the region.

“Niger Delta remains a priority of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led APC government with a view to attending to current devastation and environmental degradation in the region.

“The Federal Government will give NDDC all necessary assistance and support to achieve its mandate of ensuring rapid and sustainable development of the region.

“For meaningful and sustainable development to take place in the region, citizens and stakeholders must be peaceful while curbing militancy and eliminating terrorism,” the Punch quoted the Vice President as saying.

Professor Osinbajo was represented by the Deputy Chief of Staff in the Presidency, Mr Adeola Ipaye.

He stressed that the Niger Delta, which is the world’s third largest wetland, had immense potential to become an agriculture hub.

A large amount of Nigeria’s revenue from crude oil comes from the region, which has also seen several oil spills that had affected farm lands and the region’s fishing business.

However, the Nigerian government is looking to shift the economic mainstay away from crude oil sales to agriculture which the nation depended on before the discovery of crude.

Professor Osinbajo’s representative told the gathering that the nation’s over-dependence on crude oil was partly responsible for “redundant human resource base and high level of corruption.” (Channels TV)

•Photo shows VP Yemi Osinbajo.

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