Contrary to the claims of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), the Federal Ministry of Budget and National Planning has said that there is no plan by the Federal Government to spend N29 billion from the 2017 Budget to fight militancy in the Niger Delta region.

Most national dailies on Monday reported PANDEF as condemning the huge amount the government voted to check militancy in the region instead of using such funds to develop it.

PANDEF had a statement issued on Saturday night by a member of its Central Working Committee, Dr. Alfred Mulade, alleged that the Federal Government had earmarked N29 billion in the 2017 Budget, specifically to fight militancy in the Niger Delta.

But in reaction to the report yesterday, the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, said:
“The relevant section of Dr. Mulade’s purported statement did not even indicate that the speculated provision was contained in the 2017 Budget. Instead, it stated: ‘To make matters worse, the government is reported to have earmarked a whooping N29 billion of oil revenue to fight militancy in the Niger Delta region.’

“It must be clearly stated that there is no such provision in the 2017 Budget presented by the President, so we have absolutely no idea where this story is coming from.

“Indeed, the President has consistently and categorically stated that the focus of his administration in 2017 will be to ‘continue to pursue peace initiatives in the Niger Delta’ through dialogue and engagement. It is for this reason that, amongst other projects earmarked for the Niger Delta, the sum of N65 billion has been provided in the 2017 Budget for the reintegration of transformed ex-militants under the Presidential Amnesty Programme,” the Media Adviser to the Minister, Akpandem James, said.