Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has urged the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) to center its advocacy on tangible development initiatives for the Niger Delta region.
Governor Diri made the call on Wednesday while receiving a PANDEF delegation led by its new chairman, Ambassador Godknows Igali, at Government House, Yenagoa. He emphasized the importance of collaboration between PANDEF, regional governors, and interventionist agencies such as the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to address critical development gaps.
“PANDEF must play a strategic role in supporting the South-South Governors Forum. It is a divine arrangement that your meeting in Bayelsa coincided with our recent governors’ meeting. We must take charge of our development before looking for external support,” Diri stated.
As the newly appointed chairman of the South-South Governors Forum, Diri announced plans to establish a liaison office to enhance engagement with PANDEF. He also revealed ongoing discussions among South-South governors to initiate a power project aimed at boosting investment in the region.
Highlighting Bayelsa’s infrastructure drive, the governor pointed to projects such as the central senatorial road linking Oporoma, headquarters of Southern Ijaw Local Government Area. He assured that a major bridge across the River Nun, which would provide long-overdue access to oil-producing communities, would be completed by year-end.
“We are proving that difficult terrain is no excuse for underdevelopment. By the end of this year, we will drive to Oporoma,” he affirmed.
In his response, PANDEF Chairman, Ambassador Igali, reiterated the forum’s commitment to working with South-South governors to advance regional interests, including fiscal federalism and economic growth. He announced plans to establish expert working groups to generate policy recommendations for the BRACED Commission (Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Edo, Delta).
Igali also congratulated Governor Diri on his emergence as chairman of the South-South Governors Forum and called for increased political support for PANDEF to amplify its voice on national issues.
