• Restate President’s commitment to NDDC board inauguration

Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, has denied reports that he asked protesting youths and women of the Niger Delta region to channel their grievances to President Muhammadu Buhari.

Akpabio refuted the claims, yesterday, in Abuja in a statement issued by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Dr. Babayo Ardo.

He described the report as not only misleading but also not representing his position on the constitution of the board of the NDDC.

He said: “The sensational headline, ‘Channel your grievances to Buhari, Akpabio tells women, youths’ is not only misleading but does not represent the position of the Hon Minister, Senator Godswill Akpabio, on the constitution of the board of the NDDC.”

“The sensational headline given to the news item has no bearing to the statement issued by the ministry. At no time did the minister meet with youths and women as alleged.”

According to the statement, Mr. President is committed to repositioning the NDDC after “19 years of rot saw to the undermining of the dreams of the fathers of the region, to fast track its development through the setting up of an interventionist agency.”