The minister spoke yesterday when the Niger Delta All Progressives Congress (APC) Youth Vanguard visited him at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Towers, Abuja.

Sylva said the development could only come to the region in an atmosphere of peace.

He said, “I will emphasize that peace is very crucial to development. Development can only take place where peace thrives.” He added that everyone in the region especially the youths must be ambassadors of peace. Sylva said he likes to associate with any group that promotes peace in the country, especially in the Niger Delta region because it is how to attract the oil companies and other companies to the region.

“If we want to bring back the oil companies the job before us is to bring back peace to the region. Every Niger Delta youth must be part of the peace process. This is the only way the oil companies can return to the region. It is not for us to say to the oil companies to come back to the region but also for us to do what will bring peace,” the minister said.

He lamented that the ugly incidents in the past led to the exodus of the oil companies from the region and noted that the new initiative of engendering peace in the region “is a welcome development.”

While thanking the APC Youth for the visit and award given to him, Sylva said the federal government would continue to pay attention to the region to bring the needed development. He said President Muhammadu Buhari’s government has done so much for the Niger Delta since coming on board and called for cooperation from all for the success of the government. In an earlier address, the leader of the Niger Delta APC Youth, Mr. Fiawei Pathfinder said they decided to visit to show support for President Buhari and Chief Sylva’s efforts in bringing the needed development in the region.

He said, “We use this opportunity to sincerely express our appreciation and thank Mr. President for these monumental achievements so far recorded since 2019 till date, and that’s why we are solidly behind Mr. President’s agenda, because of his commitment to the development of the region.”