By Emmanuel Obisue
National Council on Niger Delta, NCND has urged the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs and the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC to push for the modification of the NLNG Train 7 Project.
The NCND urged both the ministry and NDDC to engage relevant stakeholders in the oil and gas industry to canvass for the modification of the project design to accommodate the creation of a South-South Gas Node.
The call formed part of the resolutions contained in a communique issued at the end of the 5th council meeting held last week in Akwa Ibom State.
The NCND also urged the Niger Delta ministry to propose an Executive Bill to the Federal Executive Council, FEC to amend sections 103 and 104 of the Petroleum Industry Act, PIA to facilitate the remittance of Gas Flare Penalty into a Trust Fund, for ease of administration.
The communique called for local and international investors operating in the Niger Delta region, as well as state governments to submit viable proposals for more road projects geared at “embracing the Executive Order 7 of 2019 on Road Infrastructure Development Scheme in the Niger Delta Region in line with the current Medium-Term Plan 2021-2025 of the Federal Government”.
Similarly, the council approved: “The establishment of Medical Waste Incinerators and Thermal Desorption Units (TDU) by the Nine (9) States to facilitate treatments of hazardous medical and industrial wastes; the establishment of pilot programmes for water hyacinth/evasive water weeds by the MNDA and NDDC in collaboration with Private sector in selected communities impacted by its proliferation
“The development of a regional policy to address the menace of black soot and other air pollution induced activities; that the MNDA and NDDC should assist the Ondo State Government in the establishment of the Araromi Seaside Deep Sea Port at Olokola Free Trade Zone.
“The establishment of Private sector driven Ferry Services in the riverine states to complement road transport; the intervention of MNDA/NDDC and other IOCs in the Region in the provision of infrastructural facilities to the Port Harcourt International Trade Complex; and that the next meeting of Council should be held in January 2023, in Delta State”.
The National Council on Niger Delta is a meeting of various stakeholders drawn from the public, private, and nonprofit sectors, all working towards the development of the oil-rich Niger Delta region.
The 1st Council on Niger Delta was held in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State in 2013.
