Maj. Gen. Godwin Abbe has revealed that former president Umaru Musa Yar’Adua had great plans for the Niger Delta region.
Abbe, who is the pioneer chairman of the Presidential Committee on the Implementation of the Amnesty Programme decried that sudden death of former president Umaru Musa Yar’Adua halted the plans.
Abbe who spoke at the public presentation of a book: “Home –School Partnership for School Effectiveness” warned the Niger Delta Avengers and other militant groups to stop destroying pipelines as it would have an adverse effect on the environment.
The former minister said: “There is no programme that is forever. But, I think that the point of departure was the fact that after the demise of President Yar’Adua, the type continuity that would have taken place did not take place. But that is past now as President Buhari was not a party to that.
“There are several aspects of the amnesty programme that were concluded. It was not just enough to send these young ones to institutions of higher learning, develop the manpower needs of the Niger Delta region. There were other projects that would have been taken on. Like the East West Road, it took a long time for it to be completed.
“The present government has taken on the East West rail way line. There was also the idea of constructing a coastal high way from Ekpe to Akwa Ibom State.”
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