Yenagoa — Minister of State, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe has said that natural resources abound in the Niger Delta that can bring revenue far more that what oil and gas presently provides.

Orubebe noted that the vast wetlands of the Niger Delta could create additional resources for the nation; hence they should be identified and harnessed.The Minister said oil and gas rich area, with the third largest wetland in the world has abundant potential for tourism and other economic development re out side oil and gas.

Orubebe who stated this in a paper he presented entitled, ' he Niger Delta: The Critical Now,' at the Second International Conference on Natural Resources, Security and Development in the Niger Delta, held in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital added that there were more to the Niger Delta than oil and gas.

The Minister who was represented by his Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Ekenwan Akwagbe explained that "In the West African sub region, the Niger Delta has about the largest tourism potentials. The Federal Government through the Ministry of Niger Delta is aware of this and is making frantic efforts to realize this rich tourism potential because of the huge revenue that it would earn for the country."

He noted that the oil and gas rich Niger Delta was blessed with economic trees that could transform the logging industry because the logs provided the best planks that could be found anywhere in the world.

Orubebe further stated that the Federal Government was aware of these alternative sources of revenue that could transform the economic outlook of the oil rich zone, adding that the Niger Delta had commenced partnership with multinational development agencies to tap into the abundant natural resources in the agricultural and allied sectors.