ODAHIEKWU OGUNDE, YENAGOA
A group, Niger Delta Renaissance for Development, has lauded the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) over the approval into the new executive of the PANDEF of His Royal Majesty, King Alfred Diete-Spiff and His Excellency, Obong Victor Attah, as co-chairmen of the Board of Trustees.
NDRD also commended PANDEF for the appointment of Senator Emmanuel Ibok Essien as its new National Chairman, Chief Thompson Okorotie as Deputy National Chairman and former Bayelsa Council Chairman, Hon. Bello Bina, as the National Youth Leader.
The National Coordinator, NDRD, Preye Kalaite, described the appointment of the illustrious leaders of the region as timely and commendable in view of their contributions to issues of youth development and empowerment in Bayelsa and the region.
Kalaite said, “The personalities appointed into the new executive of PANDEF are men of good conscience and acceptable to the people of the states of the Niger Delta region.
“The National Youth leadership with Hon. Bello Bina, who is also the Coordinator of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) in the region, will go a long way to ensure a wider participation of youths on the issue of regional development and bridge the gap between the elders and the youths.
“We also call on the new leadership of PANDEF to focus on the issues of regional development, the nine-point agenda presented to the Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF) by the governors from the region, the issues in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP).
“We congratulate the elders and leaders of PANDEF for rejigging their efforts to assist stakeholders of the region to suggest new ways of tackling the rising insecurity, under-development in Nigeria and the region. “
PANDEF, a body of traditional rulers, leaders and stakeholders of the region had on Tuesday announced the election of new executive.
It promised to work closely with the governors of the South-South and community leaders to establish appropriate security architecture to safeguard the people of the region within lawful means.
PANDEF expressed concern over the insecurity and breakdown of law and order in several parts of the country, and called on President Muhammadu Buhari to redouble efforts to curb the expanding activities of Boko Haram, the audacious attacks by bandits and rampaging activities of Fulani herdsmen. The meeting was attended by the National Leader of PANDEF, Chief Edwin Clark; co-chairman, BOT, His Excellency, Obong Victor Attah, members of the BOT as well as members of the National Executive Committee and select representatives of state executive committees.