President jonathan has charged the members of the national council on Niger Delta to justify the confidence repose in them as part of the strategic development action plan develop the region.

Speaking at the council inauguration in uyo the akwa ibom state capital friday, the president who was represented by the vice president architect Namadi Sambo said the expectation of the council as a policy maker body of the Niger Delta was high. He said their position to attract and drive development to the region through strategic and economic planning, public private partnership support thereby create social and employment services to the people.

Jonathan said the interest of the federal government to develop the region which has suffer development neglect and vulnerability was to consolidate on the effort made by the previous administration.

"Today's event is one of the commitment programmes of the federal government to the region that has contributed so much to the economic development of our dear nation"

"We do recognise that the complex developmental challenges in the region will require the concerted  effort of every, thus we welcome productive partnership with international stakeholder as well as creative public private sector partnership initiatives"

 "Peace and security achieved in the region as a result of amnesty programme of the federal government which has increased our crude oil per day from 700,000 barrel to over 2.5 million should be sustained"

"The council inaugurated today must see to the progress, prosperity and development of the region by ensuring that peace and security of the region is sustain" the president said.

Earlier the Chairman of the newly inaugurated council  Minister of  Niger Delta Region,Elder Godsday Orubebe said the council will be meeting periodically to deliberate on the work in progress and the journey so far on the investment, security, physical and infrastructural development as well as peace in the region.

The minister said the council will act as focal point for mobilising, coordinating and resolving key security and developmental challenges in the  Niger Delta.

"We should all work together to break the cycle of enduring poverty by promoting investment in physical infrastructure, basic social services and institutional development to deliver a future of stability, peace, and prosperity to the people of niger delta in particular and Nigerians in general"the minister said.

Present at the inauguration we're governor of Delta,Ondo,Akwa Ibom and representative of the governor of  Cross River,Imo and Abia State.

From Rasheed Zubair