The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has said it would explore creative means to tackle the scourge of water hyacinth in the waterways of the Niger Delta region.
The Chairman of the Commission’s Governing Board, Mrs. Lauretta Onochie, said it has become imperative to explore new ways of tackling the menace.
Onochie stated this when she hosted members of the Niger Delta Youth Assembly at the NDDC headquarters in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
She said: “In South East Asia, water hyacinth is harvested and used to make beautiful artworks, which are sold for profit. We may have to send some of our people abroad to learn how to turn the problem of water hyacinth in our waterways into a profitable venture instead of giving out contracts every time for the clearing of our waterways.”
Onochie also noted that the commission was exploring ways to address the challenges facing waterways in the region in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Water Resources.
Earlier in his remarks, the president of the group, George Godwin, called for more support for the NDDC, urging the commission to partner with the Youth Assembly to increase its impact in the Niger Delta region.
Also speaking, the representative of Rivers State on the Governing Board of the NDDC, Chukwudi Dimkpa, an engineer, stated that the commission had been proactively tackling the challenges that come with flooding in the Niger Delta region.
“The Governing Board is tackling the flood issues proactively. We noticed that the rains have come early and we are making efforts to address the challenges so our people don’t suffer.”
Speaking during another courtesy visit by members of the Anioma Peoples Forum, the NDDC Chairman observed that the requests made by the various ethnic nationalities of the Niger Delta region to the commission were valid.
She said that all ethnic nationalities in the Niger Delta region have the right to seek support from the NDDC.
Onochie, who thanked the forum for the honour of visiting her, stated that no request from any ethnic nationality in the Niger Delta region was less than others.
She noted: “The requests we receive here are the same — requests for empowerment and support. So, every request is important to us and we will look at them.”
President of the forum, Mr. Victor Osemene, congratulated Onochie on her appointment as Chairman of the NDDC Governing Board, noting that it was a deserved appointment.
Osemene stated that the Forum was set up to unify the various sub groups under the Anioma ethnic nationality.
He urged Onochie to use her position to contribute to the development of the Niger Delta region.
