South-South deserves greater Infrastructural development, PANDEF tells Tinubu

By Henry Umoru
THE Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), the apex socio-political body of the South-South geopolitical zone, has cried out over the neglect of the zone, saying that the people of the region deserve infrastructural development from the Federal Government.
Addressing Journalists on Friday, PANDEF National Chairman, Ambassador Godknows Igali, who urged President Bola Tinubu to treat the region with greater fairness, equity, and justice, assured that the people of the Niger Delta will continue to create the right enabling environment for enhanced contribution to national economic development and growth, especially through increased oil and gas production.
PANDEF has mounted a strong challenge to the Federal Government over the distribution of the N3.9 trillion road projects recently approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC), stressing that the South-South has once again been left behind despite serving as the nation’s economic engine.
PANDEF, while hailing President Tinubu for prioritising road infrastructure, said that the allocation failed the test of fairness and reinforced decades of neglect of the Niger Delta, adding that it does not augur well that a region responsible for the bulk of Nigeria’s oil and gas wealth was excluded from the list of major infrastructure projects approved by the Federal Government.
According to PANDEF, of the 26 major highway projects approved across 15 states, none traverses the core South-South states, except the Benue-Cross River road project, which it said borders the region, and it described the development as “deeply troubling.”
The group said that communities across the Niger Delta remain cut off from one another by deteriorating roads, despite the region’s enormous contribution to the national economy, just as it urged President Tinubu to urgently review the infrastructure allocation and ensure the South-South receives greater attention in future projects, insisting that equitable development is essential to national growth and stability.
Igali said, “The Board of Trustees and the National Exco of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) have noted the outcome of the recent Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting held on Monday, 29% June, 2026, in which, according to the briefing by Government officials afterwards, a huge sum of 3.9 trillion was approved for road infrastructure projects across the country. While commending His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR and his cabinet on this commitment to the country’s physical infrastructure, we in the South-South lament that our region has again been grossly shortchanged, with a very insignificant allocation of projects from this humongous sum.
“It is indeed troubling and shocking that out of the 26 major projects, covering 15 states, the only one nearest to the South-South of the country is the road connecting Benue State with Cross River State at the sum of 886 billion, with absolutely no allocation for any other road that runs through major parts of the South-South. In a part of the country that has continually suffered inexplicable infrastructural decay, this state of affairs has left citizens in the region unable to easily connect by road. This is very disturbing and totally unacceptable to the people of the Niger Delta.
Even the East-West Road, which has become a metaphor for a failed project, is still being carried out at a snail’s pace, with no real work being done, despite assurances by the Minister of Works of speedy completion. This consistent pattern is a sad reminder that all the major ports in the area, to wit — Calabar, Onne, Port Harcourt, Warri are virtually abandoned with no plan in place for their rehabilitation, modernisation or upgrade.
“The above situation is a typical demonstration of the infamous inference to “starving the goose that lays the golden egg”. Undoubtedly, such continued relegation of our people creates feelings of systemic alienation and disenchantment.
“ The people of Niger Delta therefore call on Mr. President to look into this matter with a view to reversing the situation, bearing in mind that the Niger Delta region is the revenue base of the country. Finally, PANDEF will like to seize the opportunity to reassure the Federal Government and Nigerians that the people of the Niger Delta will continue to create the right enabling environment for enhanced contribution to national economic development and growth, especially through increased oil and gas production. We therefore look forward to being treated with greater fairness, equity, and justice.”