From Femi Folaranmi,Yenagoa
A group, Niger Delta Renaissance for Development (NDRD) has commended the Pan Niger Delta Development Forum (PANDEF) over the appointment of a former Bayelsa Council Chairman, Mr Bello Bina as the national youth leader and Senator Emmanuel Ibok Essien as its new national chairman.
Others approved into the new executive of the PANDEF include the Co-chairmen of BOT, His Royal Majesty, King Alfred Diete-Spiff and His Excellency, Arc (Obong) Victor Attah, Deputy National Chairman – Chief T.K. Okoro tie.
The group, NDRD, through its National Coordinator, Preye Kalaite described the appointment of Bina as timely and commendable considering his contributions to issues of youth development and empowerment in Bayelsa and the Niger Delta region.
According to NDRD, the personalities appointed into the new executive of PANDEF are men of good conscience and acceptable to the people of the nine States of the Niger Delta region,
“The national youth leadership with Mr Bello Bina, who is also the coordinator of the IPMAN in the region, will go a long way to ensure a wider participation of youths on issue of regional development and bridge the gap between the Elders and the youths.”
“We also call on the new leadership of PANDEF to focus on the issues of regional development, the nine points agenda presented to the Secretary to the State Government of the Federation(SGF) by the Governors from the region, the brouhaha in the NDDC and the Amnesty Office. ”
” We congratulate the Elders and Leaders of the PANDEF for rejigging their efforts to assist and prompt the Stakeholders from the region to suggest new ways to tackle rising insecurity, under development in Nigeria and the region, ” Kalaite said
The PANDEF, a body of traditional rulers, leaders and stakeholders of the region, had recently announced the election of new executive, promising to work closely with the governors of the South-South and community leaders to establish appropriate security architecture to safeguard the people of the region within lawful means.
The forum expressed concern over the situation of insecurity and breakdown of law and order in several parts of the country, and called on President Muhammadu Buhari to redouble efforts to curb the expanding activities of Boko Haram, the audacious attacks by bandits and rampaging activities of Fulani herdsmen.
The meeting was attended by the National Leader of PANDEF, Chief Edwin Clark; co-chairman, BOT, His Excellency, Obong Victor Attah, as well as members of the BOT, members of the National Executive Committee and selected representatives of state executive committees.