By Henry Umoru
THE Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), the apex socio-political body of the South-South geo-political zone, has urged the President Bola Tinubu-led Federal government to immortalise the 18th indigenous Inspector-General of Police, IGP, Solomon Ehigiator Arase, retd, who died at the age of 69 in August, by naming a major national monument in his honour.
According to PANDEF, the honour is in view of the invaluable contributions of the late Arase to National Unity and Development and to the federal government of Nigeria at large.
In a Communique at the end of an enlarged National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of Pandef was held in Benin City, the Edo State Capital, PANDEF urged the Federal government to immediately redress the worsening infrastructure decay in the Niger Delta, just as it expressed great worry over the collapse of the federal roads in Niger Delta, particularly the East West Road which remains largely uncompleted, mostly the Benin Warri section as well as the deplorable state of the Benin Auchi road and the Calabar Itu road among others.
The Communique was signed yesterday by PANDEF’s National Chairman, Ambassador Godknows Igali; Prof Alfred Ehigiegba, Edo state Chairman of PANDEF and the National Publicity Secretary of PANDEF, Chief Obiuwevbi Ominimini.
In the statement, PANDEF decried the unfortunate abandonment of the only railway line leading from Ujevwu, Delta state, to Itakpe in Kogi State, while similar projects, such as the Abuja-Kaduna Railway line, which broke down about the same time, had long been attended to and fixed as if the Niger Delta does not matter in Nigeria.
According to PANDEF, as a matter of economic upliftment resulting in an increase in the per capita income of the people of the Niger Delta, the federal government is hereby called upon to urgently ensure the restoration of all the seaports in the South-South Geopolitical zone situated in Calabar, Port Harcourt, Warri, Sapele, Burutu, and Koko.
The Communique read, “An enlarged National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of Pandef was held in Benin City, this day, the 4th of October 2025. Also in attendance were the Edo state chapter executive committee members led by the chapter chairman, Prof Alfred Ehigiegba, and the state chapter chairmen of Akwa Ibom state, Bayelsa state, Delta state and Rivers state. The meeting was presided over by the National Chairman, Amb Godknows Igali OON. The meeting deliberated on several issues affecting the Niger Delta Region and the nation, and resolved as follows.
“In view of the invaluable contributions of the late Rtd IGP, Dr Solomon Arase, to National Unity and Development, the federal government of Nigeria is hereby called upon as a matter of importance to immortalise him, including naming a major national monument in his honour.
“Pandef thanks His Excellency, President Bola Amed Tinubu GCFR, as well as Gov Siminalaye Fubara and all other leaders who played various roles in restoring Democratic institutions in Rivers State
“Pandef expresses great worry over the collapse of the federal roads in the Niger Delta, particularly the East-West Road, which remains largely uncompleted, mostly the Benin Warri section, as well as the deplorable state of the Benin Auchi road and the Calabar Itu road, among others
“Pandef decries the unfortunate abandonment of the only railway line leading from Ujevwu, Delta state, to Itakpe in Kogi State, while similar projects, such as the Abuja-Kaduna Railway line, which broke down about the same time, had long been attended to and fixed as if the Niger Delta does not matter in Nigeria.
“As a matter of economic upliftment resulting into increase in the per capital income of the people of Niger Delta, the federal government is hereby called upon to urgently ensure the restoration of all the sea ports in South South Geopolitical zone situated in Calabar, Port Harcourt, Warri, Sapele, Burutu, and koko.”
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