TheCable

Babatunde Fashola, the minister of power, works and housing, has called on governors of south-south states to “step up” and collaborate with the federal government to develop the region.

The minister made the call during a visit to Yenegoa, the Bayelsa state capital, on Saturday.

He promised that conscious efforts would be made to change the story of the Niger Delta region.

Fashola, who inspected some ongoing road projects in the state, called on all stakeholders to work towards changing the negative perception of the region.

“We need to find peace here very quickly and the story must change. This is one of the reasons we have come here; to see if what is being reported about this place is true. And this is not a place where the story suggests you can’t work,” he said.

“But we need to get more ambassadors who will say ‘I work here, I live here. This place is safe’. And that’s what encourages people to come out and address the infrastructure work that needs to be done here.

“But we can only do that by collaboration, by peace and partnership. Not only do the governor and I have our work cut out for us, but the governors and his colleagues in the south-south must step up now and change the conversation around this place.”

Fashola, who paid a visit to Seriake Dickson, Bayelsa state governor, said unemployment occasioned by the current recession would be substantially alleviated through the road projects that are about to commence in the region.

“I see that the presence of the federal government has not been as impactful as it should have been over the years, especially in terms of infrastructure across the Delta, not just in Bayelsa,” he said.

“This place has great potential. It can create jobs for the youths of Nigeria. From gas and other by-products, creating industry and life defining infrastructure, connecting the sea. These are places where you can do a lot of tourism. The possibilities are endless. But we need to shake hands and that is why we are here.”