PRESIDENT Umaru Musa Yar'Adua yesterday restated the resolve of his administration to end the protracted Niger Delta crisis. The creation of the Ministry of the Niger Delta by the Federal Government on Wednesday, he said, is to achieve prompt execution of his programmes for the area.
Yar'Adua said: "The Ministry will coordinate our efforts to tackle the challenges of infrastructural development, environmental protection and youth empowerment in the region."Even the worst critics of the Yar'Adua admitted yesterday that the creation of the ministry is a novelty and holds hope for the people of the region.
MEND said it received with apprehension the announcement by the government to establish a Ministry of the Niger Delta.

Its spokesman, Jomo Gbomo, said the group would know if the government is sincere in solving the Niger Delta crisis when it offers true federalism in all its ramifications, which includes resource control as well as the unconditional release of all detained activists.
All the speakers, advised that only Nigerians with track records should be appointed to man the Niger Delta Ministry, with some opposing the choice of an indigene of the region to head the ministry.

Nne, this have been posted several times nah.