Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Friday lampooned interventionist agencies including the Niger Delta Development Commission and the Ministry of Niger Delta for failing to meet the development and expectations of the Niger Delta people.

Regardless, he said that President Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government would double efforts to enhance the physical development of the oil-bearing communities in the region before the end of their second term tenure.

The Vice President stated this on Friday when he paid a courtesy call on the Ebenanaowei (King) of Ogulagha Kingdom, HRM, Captain Joseph Timiyan I, at Obotobo in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State.

He lamented that despite the huge resources that the federal government invests in NDDC, Ministry of Niger Delta and other agencies in the region, the oil-bearing communities were still gasping for physical development.

Osinbajo, who was led to the palace by the governor of Delta State, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, was in the state to perform the commissioning of a 20.29 KM  Obotobo 1- Obotobo 11 – Sokebolou – Yokri Road in Ogulagha Kingdom, Burutu council area and the Main Axial Road in Okerenkoko, Gbaramatu Kingdom in Warri South-West council area.

Our correspondent gathered that the 20.29 KM  Obotobo 1- Obotobo 11 – Sokebolou – Yokri Road in Ogulagha Kingdom is the longest road to be constructed by any administration in the history of Delta State.

Osinbajo said that to meet the infrastructural gap in the region, the federal government would sit with the state government to determine areas in critical need of development, so as to fast-track development in the oil-rich region.

According to him, “The NDDC in many respect has not met the expectations of the oil-producing states; a lot of money is invested in NDDC and the Ministry of the Niger Delta because the real reason they were created is to speed up the development of oil-rich communities.

“We will sit with the Delta State Governor to look at specific areas to develop in the creeks.”

The Punch