The Federal Government of Nigeria has been told to relocate the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency(NIMASA) and Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to the Niger Delta region.
The call was made by a former member of the All Progressive Party (APC), Yekini Nabena, who told the government to consider relocating some of its agencies to different parts of the country.
Nabena has urged the government to move the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency(NIMASA) and Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to the Niger Delta region to improve their efficiency.
The Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the APC also suggested that the Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment should be moved to either Kano or Anambra States where there is a high volume of trade.
His proposal comes after the Federal Government revealed interest in relocating some parts of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria(FAAN) to Lagos State.
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However, the decision has been met with opposition from some Northern senators and elites.
Nabena believes that the Nigerian government needs to be transparent about its intentions for relocating the agencies.
He also argued that federal agencies are symbols of Nigerian unity and should not be played with.
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Furthermore, Nabena believed that oil companies should also relocate their headquarters to the Niger Delta region to fast-track economic development in the area.
He said:
“If the efficiency of these agencies is the main reason for the plan to relocate them to Lagos State, we from the Niger Delta are also asking that the NNPCL, NIMASA, NPA, and others will be more effective in either Bayelsa, Rivers, or Delta states.
“In the same way, the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steal Development should be moved to Kogi state where we have the Ajaokuta Steal for efficiency.
“I also believe that the Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment should either be relocated to Kano or Anambra states where trade is done in high proportion. In the same way, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture should be taken to Benue State, the food basket of the Nation.
“The Senate had asked International Oil Companies to relocate their headquarters to the Niger Delta region to fast-track the host communities economic development but some powerful interests in Lagos are preventing this for their selfish interests.”
