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Mystifying development policy strategies in the Niger Delta: The unending mistake
Abstract
The Niger Delta has been a centre of intense conflicts and violence. These conflicts and violence have necessitated the setting up of various intervention bodies to remedy the situation. These bodies include Niger Delta Development Board (1958), the Oil Minerals Producing and
Development Commission (1992), the Niger Delta Development Commission (2000) and the most recent, Ministry of Niger Delta (2008). In spite of these measures, violence is on the increase coupled with the taking and use of hostages as a means of negotiation. It is in this direction that this paper seeks to investigate why the development efforts have not translated or impacted much on the lives of the rural people in the region. This paper asked a fundamental question of; what is
responsible for the development crisis in the region? The exposed answer is that, the problems that besieged the Niger Delta intervention agencies since 1961 of Niger Delta Development Board through OMPADEC to the present NDDC, was ill-managed by inefficient administrators whose primary interest in the entire efforts were to divert funds for personal use. Different views posited also that, from the conception and execution of development projects in the region, the federal government under successive administrations had adopted same pattern of development strategy that excluded the intended beneficiaries of the development. Real or imagined, the consequence is the feeling of deprivation and alienation which is still pervasive in the region.
Development Commission (1992), the Niger Delta Development Commission (2000) and the most recent, Ministry of Niger Delta (2008). In spite of these measures, violence is on the increase coupled with the taking and use of hostages as a means of negotiation. It is in this direction that this paper seeks to investigate why the development efforts have not translated or impacted much on the lives of the rural people in the region. This paper asked a fundamental question of; what is
responsible for the development crisis in the region? The exposed answer is that, the problems that besieged the Niger Delta intervention agencies since 1961 of Niger Delta Development Board through OMPADEC to the present NDDC, was ill-managed by inefficient administrators whose primary interest in the entire efforts were to divert funds for personal use. Different views posited also that, from the conception and execution of development projects in the region, the federal government under successive administrations had adopted same pattern of development strategy that excluded the intended beneficiaries of the development. Real or imagined, the consequence is the feeling of deprivation and alienation which is still pervasive in the region.
