The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Niger-Delta

  • Dialogue Way Out Of Niger Delta Crises- Ex-Deputy Gov

    Dialogue Way Out Of Niger Delta Crises- Ex-Deputy Gov

    Worried by the resumption of bombings of oil pipelines by militants in the Niger Delta, former Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Dr. Chris Ekpenyong, has warned against using strong-arms tactic to quell the problem.

    Militants’ groups in the region have resorted to blowing up oil and gas infrastructure in the region since former President Goodluck Jonathan lost the 2015 Presidential poll in a protest that has cut oil output from 2.2 million barrel per day to a staggering 1.5 million.

    The agitators, who are demanding for greater share of resources from the zone, have warned oil companies operating in the region to leave or be killed in a renewed campaign to draw Federal Government’s attention to series of environmental disasters plaguing the region.

    But Ekpenyong, though described the agitation as legitimate, has faulted the militants approach, warning that: “there is no amount of militancy that will help the Niger Delta.”

    Speaking in an interview in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, the former Deputy Governor traced the history of arms struggle in the region to the 60s when the late Adaka Boro was at the forefront, noting that such confrontational postures only worked antithetically to undermine the development of the Niger Delta.

    While urging the militants to sheathe their swords, Ekpenyong advised President Muhammadu Buhari to convoke a parley where genuine stakeholders of the region will interface with the Federal Government team to resolve the problem.

    He noted that as the Buhari-led administration has set the tone towards the implementation of UNEP report on Ogoni clean up, it was unnecessary for the militants to further degrade by polluting farmlands and waters that would add to the problems of the long-suffering people of Niger Delta.

    He charged the Federal Government to work towards addressing the genuine concerns of minorities in the polity, recalling that the Willink Constitution of 1958 had provided for the minorities to be given a sense of belonging in the Federation.

    “Niger Delta should be given a fair share of what it is producing”, Ekpenyong stressed, lamenting that the management of oil resources in region must be equitably distributed and Niger Deltans allowed greater participation for greater benefits to the region.

    Besides, Ekpeneyong, who has joined the growing calls for the restructuring of the Federation, advocated for each States to have greater control of their resources, noting that the Federal Government’s overbearing influence on components States was partly responsible for the ongoing geopolitical wars in the country.

    According to him, dousing the current tension in the region through genuine dialogue would detract the President from his pre-election promises to Nigerians and also force public opinion against him -if he wishes to re-contest in 2019.

    He charged the Federal Government to work towards a new paradigm shift by diversifying the economy from oil to agriculture and solid minerals, pointing that such change in focus would reduce attraction from oil, while creating jobs and wealth for the people in other sectors of the economy.

  • Why Jonathan should be involved in resolving Niger Delta crisis —Ex-Bayelsa Military Administrator Col. Obi

    Why Jonathan should be involved in resolving Niger Delta crisis —Ex-Bayelsa Military Administrator Col. Obi

    Colonel Edor Obi (rtd) is a former Military Administrator of Bayelsa State. He was a member of the committee that produced a technical report on the Niger Delta during the late President Umaru Yar’Adua’s administration. In this interview with INNOCENT DURU, he discloses that he saw the current Niger Delta crisis coming. He also bemoans the renewed activities of militants in the region, which he blamed on the piecemeal implementation of the technical report he described as the most comprehensive ever produced in the country on the Niger Delta

    Niger Delta militants had sheathed their swords for a long time before the current bombing of oil facilities. What do you think is responsible for this renewed agitation?

    Well, I am one of the people who have always been concerned that we had the silence of the graveyard in the Niger Delta, because I happen to have been in the committee that produced the most comprehensive technical report on the Niger Delta under the late President (Umaru) Yar’Adua. The amnesty programme, which was a fallout of that committee, was just taken out of the holistic recommendation we made to address the issue of Niger Delta.

    As a stakeholder in the Niger Delta, what efforts have you made to address the problem?

    Of course, I remain a stakeholder and I will always share my views with other stakeholders, because at the end of the day, we don’t have any other country to run to. So we have to save this country. When President Muhammadu Buhari was sworn in, I wrote a memo, and one of the issues in my memo was about the Niger Delta. Without any concrete information but based on my personal experience that there was a lot of unease in the region, I wrote about what needed to be done. I advised that we needed to pay attention to the Niger Delta because there was a lot of unease as there were issues about how the amnesty programme was going.

    Don’t also forget that there was a lot of political undertone, which goes back to the issue of true federalism. The issue of resource control has always played out. And don’t also forget that even recently, following the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) in the National Assembly, the issue of what is due to the host community has come up again. I think the ultimate thing for us to do is to think of how to implement the National Conference report which will restructure the country and bring us into true federalism, where the regions will have more control of their resources.

    I think if that is done, we will resolve many issues not just in the Niger Delta but also in the South East and other states. The bigger picture for me is the issue of going back to true federalism. Part of the things that I even recommended in my memo was that the immediate past president (Dr. Goodluck Jonathan) should be given a role to play in the Niger Delta because whether we like it or not, he remains a major stakeholder in the Niger Delta. And I also stated that we should not wait for things to deteriorate before we begin to react to them.

    Was the memo you wrote to the President borne out of the feeling that you should advise him or?

    I believe that I have a stake to offer my opinion on any national issue. I know the President and I believe that he means well. So I thought I owe him that to offer my advice on any national issue.

    Let us go back to the report you spoke about earlier. What were the other things that were recommended, and when the president decided to handle the issue of amnesty alone, what was the reaction of the committee?

    I must commend President Yar’ Adua because at the time we even decided to take the amnesty programme, we had what I will call one of the major challenges to our national security. Our production level was declining so rapidly that if we did not immediately embrace the amnesty programme, we would have arrived at a point in this country where our production would have probably amounted to nothing and the implication would have been that we would not have been able to realise any revenue and you can imagine what kind of national security issue this can cause. Probably we would have riots all over the country because people’s salaries would not be paid.

    So, he saw that immediately, and I am told he was advised from the earnings that were coming in, and I think he had consultations with the relevant authorities and said let’s talk to these boys and let them lay down their arms so that at least we can have our oil production back. So, that was probably why he was in a hurry to just take that aspect and implement it. The understanding was that he would look at the other recommendations more. I cannot just sit down and tell you about the other recommendations. If you look at the Niger Delta Development Commission, you will see that there is a master plan for the Niger Delta. One of the things we talked about was to take that master plan and implement it fully in all the places.

    Going back to our report, by the way, we did not create anything new. What we did was to just summarise the various reports between 1958 when we had the Willings Commission and the last report by the Ogbemudia committee set up by former President Olusegun Obasanjo. We talked about the issue of demobilisation, which eventually led to amnesty; skill acquisition; the training of those boys; job placement; the development of the host communities on sustainable basis and other things that should be done in the area of security, military and the economic and social impact programmes that were supposed to be implemented holistically with the various agencies.

    There were stages where we said the Federal Government and the oil companies, state governments and the host community should come together to fashion out some of these things that are supposed to be done there so they could be sustainable and could be done on a long term. The report is still in the archive. They can still go and look at it and see how best they can implement it, because as we speak, that is the most comprehensive report on the Niger Delta.

    Between the technical report on Niger Delta and the National Conference report, which one should the President be looking at?

    The Niger Delta report and the National Conference report are two different things. When you talk about the Niger Delta, we have the technical report you should look at. But you cannot do that in isolation. We are talking about two different things here. At the end of the day, the national conference report has to do with the issue of true federalism we are all talking about as Nigerians. In my opinion, whatever you do in any region, if you don’t pay attention to that report, they will keep reoccurring. The present arrangement is very flawed and we can’t sustain it for a long time. As much as possible, we need to whittle down the powers at the centre of government because it is over-wealthy and it is slowing down the development of the country.

    If you were the president, what would you do to resolve this issue?

    As the President, you have to consult, and I think he (President Buhari) is already doing that. After that, he will need to come up with a plan to implement what he comes up with. From most of the comments that I have read, a lot of people have advised the President to open a line of dialogue and avoid the excessive use of military because in the long term, it will be counterproductive. You can never win that war on the battlefield. You just have to open lines of communication.

    I am happy the Ogoni clean-up has begun. But I feel very sad that the President was not there to reassure the people as to his commitment and also exert his authority as the commander-in-chief. I recall one event when the Brass NLG grand breaking ceremony was going to take place at the height of the crisis in the Niger Delta under former President Obasanjo. There were a lot of security concerns but President Obasanjo went there himself and performed the ceremony. The managing director, who was from one of these multinational companies, did not show up, and they found that his country had advised that he should travel back home because of the crisis. What did Obasanjo do? He said if he as the president could go and the place was safe, he didn’t see any reason the managing director should not be there. At the end of the day, the managing director lost his job and Obasanjo gained the confidence of the people by that singular action.

    Yes, the Ogoni clean-up has been flagged off. The issue again is dialogue and it is very important. Again, if I were the President, I will call for that report and look at what has gone wrong, because part of the amnesty programme is a product of that report which was implemented piecemeal, and I think that led to some of the problems we have.

    Whether we like it not, in a democracy, we need to listen to the voice of the people. Most of these agitations, I believe that if there should be more dialogue, it will go a long way to douse the tension and reassure  the people and make us to begin to have the conviction that we can live together in a restricted country.

  • Christian theologians caution govt against force in Niger Delta

    After an appraisal of the ‘looming crisis’ in the Niger Delta, Christian at the weekend urged the Federal Government not apply force in the oil-rich region.

    The theologians, who staged an emergency meeting in Lagos to review the situation under the aegis Association of Christian Theologians (ACTS), said the country cannot afford bloodshed.

    Speaking after the meeting, the ACTS’ National Executive Council spoke through its Vice Chairman, Prof Aniefiok Akpabio, who said the council was in support the a suggestion by Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson that the Federal Government sustains its current endurance and allow for more dialogue.

    Akpabio, a professor of Theology, said the country should learn from its ugly past, having fought a debilitating civil war between 1967 and 1970.

  • Niger Delta crisis: Ministers deal with wrong persons

    Niger Delta’s elite group, the United Niger Delta Energy Development Security Strategy (UNDEDSS), yesterday listed some conditions the Federal Government should meet to restore peace and order in the region.

    UNDEDSS said the conditions would save the nation further loss in the revenue accruable from oil and gas.

    The group spoke in Lagos after its emergency executive meeting on the crisis in Niger Delta.

    Its Secretary General Tony Uranta said Niger Delta unanimously resolved to resist further attempts by the Federal Government to deploy the military in the region or use what it called “divide and rule tactics” against the region’s key actors.

    “President Muhammadu Buhari is advised to personally and visibly head a holistic solution-seeking strategy that will prove his commitment to a robustly sustainable peace in the region, for there to be true unity, stability and progress in Nigeria,” Uranta said.

    The UNDEDSS spokesman decried what he called “the farce by too many of President Buhari’s political friends and ministers, who are wasting time establishing so-called Contact Committees that will not resolve pertinent issues sustainably”.

    Asked what the Federal Government needed to do to have everyone on its side, Uranta said: “There’s no need to reinvent the wheel. All Buhari has to do is return to the successful (late President Umaru Musa) Yar’Adua’s template of 2009.”

    But the UNDEDSS spokesman admitted that former President Goodluck Jonathan failed to consolidate on the late Yar’Adua’s gains in the region.

    He said the government knew how to resolve the region’s crisis, urging the President to broadcast to the nation an indefinite Federal Government’s ceasefire to be matched by armed actors in the region; government’s commitment to the National Maritime University at Okerenkoko and the appointment of a savvy special adviser (Niger Delta Affairs) to the President, among other conditions.

    Uranta said: “If President Buhari follows Yar’Adua’s lead, there will be sustainable cessation of hostilities in the Niger Delta and the nation will no longer be subjected to further losses in national revenue or the crippling power shortfall due to unavailability of crude and gas.”

  • Niger Delta activist seeks true federalism, equity

    Niger Delta activist seeks true federalism, equity

    A Niger Delta activist and President of Okrika community in River State, George Olugwe, has advised the Federal Government to ensure true federalism and equity.

    He also urged the government to set aside employment quota for Niger Delta indigenes.

    According to him, this is the only solution to the lingering problem.

    He also suggested establishment of schools and skills training centres to empower the people and declared that the problem in the region is one that cannot be solved through force or counter-violence.

    On infrastructure, he said the road network in the region is very poor. He cited the East-West road that leads Port Harcourt to Lagos through the Midwest, which has been abandoned over a year ago. He also mentioned Eleme junction to Akwa Ibom State, which has become a death trap, wondering why this should be so, while the resources of the region is been used to develop other regions. He concluded that this is what has resulted in the agitations and the recent violent blowing up of oil pipelines by the Niger Delta Avengers to drive home their demands.

    .  He advocated a continuation of the amnesty programme and said the only notable activity going on in the region in recent time is the clean-up exercise in Ogoni land. Olugwu Advised the government to create entrepreneurship programmes across the area to encourage new innovation and mutual ideas through better understanding, stressing that there cannot be progress unless there of

    On government’s plan to cite the NLNG Dry Dock in Badagry and the Petroleum Institute in Kaduna because of high level vandalism in the Niger Delta, Olugwe said nobody can work in a hostile environment and advised the militants to sheathe their swords and embrace dialogue.

  • Niger Delta governors not supporting violence, says Dickson

    Niger Delta governors not supporting violence, says Dickson

    ayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson has said Southsouth governors are not supporting violence and members of Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) for attacking oil and gas installations.

    Dickson said stakeholders in Niger Delta, including political leaders, traditional rulers, interest groups and security agencies, were collaborating to ensure lasting peace in the region.

    The governor spoke at the weekend after he was conferred with a honorary doctorate degree in Public Administration at the Ekiti State University (EKSU) in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, during its 21st convocation ceremonies.

    Lawyer and businessman, Gbenga Oyebode, as well as the new Chancellor of the university, who is also the Alara of Aramoko Ekiti, Oba Adegoke Adeyemi, were awarded honorary doctorate degrees.

    Dickson said dialogue remained the best option to resolve grievances among warring parties.

    The governor urged the Federal Government and the militants to desist from using violence to settle their differences.

    Dickson said Niger Delta leaders were concerned about the upsurge of violence, adding that no reasonable person would support attacks on oil and gas facilities as well as other national assets sustaining the economy.

    The governor advised all parties to work together and put the situation under control.

    He said: “We are all concerned about the developments. All the leaders there are concerned about the recent upsurge in insurgency. We are collaborating on the way forward.

    “Those of us who are governors are working hard with traditional leaders, opinion leaders and security agencies as well as collaborating with other private and corporate bodies to ensure that we put it under control.

    “The way forward is not war, war. It is jaw-jaw. The way forward is peace and dialogue; it is consensus building. That is quite what some of us support. We don’t support violence; we are not in support of brigandage. We are not in support of destruction of strategic national assets and killings.

    “We know there is an issue and this issue can only be addressed when all stakeholders work together for unity, peace, prosperity and stability and progress for our country.”

    On the honorary degree given him, Dickson said: “It is a great privilege to have been invited here and decorated with this beautiful academic robe. On behalf of our people in Bayelsa, I bring warm felicitations to the people of Ekiti and my brother Governor Ayo Fayose, who is a visitor to this wonderful university and who has been doing a great job in the state, despite the distractions.

    “As you all know, Bayelsa and Ekiti have a lot in common. We are twin states established on the same day. So, we are keenly interested in what goes on in Ekiti. Every Bayelsa man and woman is a friend and brother of Ekiti, and you are good people.

    “The Ekiti State University has become a model for other institutions. Just two days ago, I sent a team from our state university to come here and interact with your management with a view to finding out how you are managing to pay salaries without receiving subventions from your governor.”

    Fayose hailed the university’s management for good performance and self-sustenance, despite not receiving subvention from the government.

    He said: “I want to appreciate the Governing Council of the university for its efforts and outstanding performance at a time like this, when financing government has become a huge challenge in the face of the dwindling federal allocations. Your performance for the six months has been commendable.”

  • Is Niger Delta fair to Nigeria?

    Of all the socio-economic vices that have plagued the nation so far, the current one inflicted on Nigeria by the so-called Niger Delta Avengers (DNA) to me is unparalleled. This is more so when the vicious action of the avengers is aimed at total destruction of the economic base of the nation, thereby reducing Nigeria to penury where the centre can no longer hold.

    How can a man in his right senses sets ablaze his own community in the name of self-centredness? The DNA emerged from the blues and before the shout of Jack Robinson, set the nation on fire, destroying the economic base of the country.

    According to the Guardian report of June 17, 2016, “The militants have destroyed 23 gas pipelines across the Niger Delta states since they renewed attacks on national assets from February 14 to date”.

    The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) power generation statistics obtained by the Guardian revealed that the nation is now generating about 2.903MW, a far cry from about 140, 000MW generation requirements estimated by the distribution companies (DISCOS). The action of the DNA has threatened the expected supply of 2000MW to the national grid next month. The nation is already heading for total darkness.

     The worried situation is unrelenting as different groups daily emerge, threatening fire and brimstone. Nigeria has come to roast in the hands of some unscrupulous and mindless Niger Deltans. Yesterday, today and possibly tomorrow, the grievances for this destruction of the nation’s assets centre on the allegation that the oil companies in the area have destroyed their farmlands and homes without paying compensation which is commensurate with the damage done. They, therefore, want the oil companies to leave or pay the affected communities adequate compensation. In addition, the people want the environmental degradation of the area to stop.

     Let me at this juncture say I am from the Niger Delta region and had part of my education at Warri. I, therefore, share the pains of my fellow people. But I fail to associate with the extreme position taken or threats of secession, if things do not go the ways we want them. The position of the agitators or militants become ludicrous, reckless and inconsiderate, bearing in mind that for some years now,   sustained efforts are being made to address the problems.

    On coming to power as the civilian President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, made the issue of Niger Delta his priority when his administration gave to Niger Delta 13% derivation policy. In addition, the same administration of Obasanjo created the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs (MNDA) purposely to take care of the region. Also  the Niger Delta Development Commission (NNDC) was there to take care of the egion. Included were also other agencies like OMPADEC and DESOPADEC and others created and funded mostly by the federal government to assuage the sufferings of the people.

    Not satisfied with these steps, President Obasanjo’s administration in 2006 put in place the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) sponsored by the Federal Government for the cleaning up of the Ogoni land.

    When President Musa Yar’adua assumed office, he set up an amnesty programme for the rehabilitation and resettlement of thousands of militants in the Niger Delta region who surrendered arms for peace. The programme has gulped billions of naira and the programme is on-going.

    About a fortnight ago, President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration flagged off a multi-billion naira clean-up and restoration programme of the Ogoni land in the Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers state. The launching of the Ogoni Remediation Programme marked a significant and historic move towards improving the situation of the Ogoni who have for decades suffered effects of oil pollution.

    With all these efforts, can there be justification for the DNA or the militants in whatever title or tag take up arms against the Nigerian nation or the federal government?

    Commenting on the activities of the NDA in his Daily SUN column, “Frank Talk” of Wednesday, July 15, Steve Nwosu says: “Now, I am one of the few people who do not believe that the masked guys (wielding all manner of sophisticated weapons), who appeared on national television a few days ago, claiming to be members of the dreaded Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) have anything to do with the group, blowing up oil pipelines and holding our economy by the balls. They did not sound convincing enough. Everything looked like the usual Nigerian arrange thing. But who arranged them? But if indeed they were the Avengers, then they definitely have no idea of what they are ‘avenging’. Put differently, they might well be mercenaries fighting a proxy war. Another person’s personal war! They are not avenging anything they believe in”.

    Recently, a Warri Study Group, a pressure group in Itsekiri land of the Niger Delta, has called on the federal government to jettison its resolve to open dialogue with Niger Delta Avengers as a way to ending acts of sabotage on oil facilities and restoring peace to the region.

    The group, which made the call in an open letter to President Muhammadu Buhari, accused the Niger Delta politicians calling for dialogue with the militants of frustrating various interventionist efforts put in place by previous administrations to improve the lives of the people in the region, alleging that such politicians pursue common agenda with the Niger Delta Avengers. Politicians, especially some governors (both serving and former) and their cronies from the Niger Delta are hands in glove with the militants and are openly and secretly advocating dialogue with them so as to have criminal charges against them dropped, the letter reads in part.

    The group maintained that dialogue with the militants would be akin to having an open discussion with the corrupt politicians and they alleged to be responsible for the underdevelopment of the region, saying that such politicians and their cronies among the militants ought to be investigated and prosecuted.

    My brothers in Niger Delta should know right now that oil is being discovered in various places in Nigeria, including Lagos and Borno states. As a matter of fact, it is being speculated that the Chad Basin trough where lies Borno might produce a large quantity of oil compared to that currently obtained in the Niger Delta. It is indeed sad that while others are prospecting for oil, the Niger Deltans are destroying oil installations in their areas and distorting the operations. Who do you blame for our fate if at the end of the day we have destroyed our oil infrastructure for unjustifiable cause and new states emerging flowing in oil? The handwriting on the wall is clear as if a road closes, another will open. Besides, there are so many roads to the market.

     Above all, what must be made clear to the people of Niger Delta, especially the vandals and agents of destruction as well their sponsors, is that today it is oil, tomorrow it might be gold from Zamfara and Kaduna states or iron from Yobe State as studies have revealed  large quantities of these in the areas. What we must remember is that our God is not a partial one as He provides for all in different ways, even in the desert where there is oasis as well as other minerals for the survival of the people.

    The argument is that rather to be unfair to the Nigeria nation that has been fair to us in this struggle, we should hold our Niger Delta leaders who have been entrusted with the custody of the resources by the federal government for the uplift of the region accountable. Recently, Governor Adam Oshimole of Edo State made it clear in the public that the resources allocated by the federal government for the development of the Niger Delta did not reflect what is currently on ground in the region.

    • Victor Izekor, a public affairs commentator, writes from Maiduguri at victorizekor@gmail.com.

  • DUNCAN MIGHTY MEETS NIGER DELTA AVENGER

    WITH the present state of pipeline bombing in the Niger Delta, Duncan Wene Mighty Okechukwu, popularly known as Duncan Mighty, and currently serving as the Coalition of South-South Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines & Agriculture Youth/Brand Ambassador, has claimed that he had a successful meeting with the Niger Delta Avengers, NDA, on Wednesday 23, 2016.

    The artiste shared a photo with an army squad on his Instagram page with the caption “With MA Squaddie”.

    Adding he is proud of his job, Duncan Mighty wrote; “With MA Squaddie, proud of my Job. Successful meeting with media on Niger Delta Avengers issues. It is only peace that can bring about sustainable development in our region”.

    The artiste, who has not been regular in the music circle of recent, will be collaborating soon with the winner of Duncan Mighty Free Style Challenge, Graham D.

  • Be more patriotic, Buhari urges elites

    Be more patriotic, Buhari urges elites

    …Says elites have failed the nation

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday urged Nigerian elites to be more patriotic and partner with his administration in order to make life more meaningful for the ordinary Nigerians.

    He made the appeal during the breaking-of-fast dinner with retired and serving Justices of the Supreme Court at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    Buhari frowned at the selfish attitudes of some individuals who are bent on stifling the nation’s economy through illegal and sharp practices.

    According to him, God has been good to Nigeria in terms of material and human resources but the elites had failed woefully in translating this to prosperity for the country.

    The President therefore urged the Justices to assist in re-educating and convincing the elites on the need to be more patriotic in their actions and deeds to create a just, fair and stable society.

    He said: “So, at this age, at the position we are, more demand is made on us to persuade those we know, the elites to please pity this country and make more sacrifices.

    “At whatever forum, please persuade our fellow elites to be more patriotic because which kind of country are we leaving for our children and our grand children.

    “Everybody in the world believed Nigeria has been favoured by God Almighty in terms of material and human resources.

    “But, we have failed, woefully failed so far to explore it and thank God for these gifts.

    “Let us pray to God Almighty that our colleagues outside there that are having the influence with the rest of people and holding the economy sit and reflect and make sure that this country gets what it deserve from its leadership at various stages. I hope this will help to digest what we have just eaten,’’ he said.

    He reminded them that Nigeria was in a difficult position occasioned by the dwindling oil revenue as he urged them to continue to pray for the betterment of the country.

    Buhari was optimistic that the country would survive the current socio-economic challenges.

    “We are in a very, very difficult position now. We came at a time when suddenly we realized,  unfortunately that we have through our personal incompetent as Nigerian elites ended up as a mono-economy in spite of the potentiality of this country, which the rest of the world seemed to know more.

    “We have observed what happened in the last 15 years. We have enjoyed so much prosperity.

    “But, eventually, the thing we looked for most, security, first in the North East, threatened us, secondly, in Niger Delta. But we know we get the strength to survive it and survive it we must.” He said

    The Retired Justice Salihu Belgore, who spoke on behalf of his colleagues, thanked the president for inviting them for the dinner and assured that they would continue to partner with the government to ensure speedy transformation of the country.

     

  • Niger Delta: Challenges, prospects and future

    Niger Delta: Challenges, prospects and future

    The Federal Government in 2008 created the Federal Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs to coordinate its efforts aimed at promoting infrastructural development, environment protection and youth empowerment in the region.

    The oil-rich region historically comprises Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers and they largely occupy the mangrove creeks around the River Niger tributaries towards the Atlantic Ocean coast line.

    But in 2000, Abia, Akwa-Ibom, Cross River, Edo, Imo and Ondo State became part of the region that has been the centre of international controversy over pollution and underdevelopment.

    In the light of this, from the onset of the establishment of the ministry, the Federal Government has insisted that the ministry is responsible for direct response to the myriad of challenges in the region.

    Concerned citizens, therefore, suggest that the ministry should urgently work towards the delivery of a virile development plan as prescribed by the Niger Delta Master Plan.

    They note that although the master plan has been applauded since its scripting in 2006, previous administrations have not met the expectations of the people in the region.

    They observe that amorphous militant groups, including the Niger Delta Avengers, have sprung up, destroying oil facilities because of the feelings among the people that their expectations have not been met.

    They also note that dreadful cult groups are rampart among the youth, posing a great threat to the peace and development of the region.

    They maintain that although Amnesty Programme and disarmament process on the militants, particularly among the members of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta are commendable, they failed to address challenges of lack of empowerment and socio-economic underdevelopment of the region.

    This development, perhaps, informs the recent decision of the Federal Government to inaugurate the clean-up of Ogoniland as a lead up to tangible development of the region.

    The government expresses concern that the militants are creating worse environmental health disasters by the rate they destroy oil facilities in the region.

    Apart from this, Minister of Niger Delta Affairs Usani Usani, has assured the people in the region that the present administration of President Muhammadu Buhari will create an enduring partnership for the socio-economic and industrial development of the region.

    The minister said the ministry had not and would not abandon any of its ongoing projects in the nine oil producing states of the Niger Delta.

    Receiving the community leaders of the nine oil producing states who paid a courtesy visit on him recently in Abuja, the minister said that the ministry was eager to fast-track the development of the region.

    The minister said: “previous efforts created monsters that were bigger than the communities; the new efforts will cut down these monsters and cause them to submit to their communities.

    “Previous efforts were characterised by corruption and bribery of government officials, the new approach will bring all stakeholders into a transparent commitment to the development of the Niger Delta region.

    “Previous efforts paid more attention to mega projects like roads and huge buildings which were celebrated but not fully implemented, the new approach will pay considerable attention to projects that will truly empower the people by training, skill acquisition and ethical reorientation.’’

    The minister has also said that there were plans of the ministry to send 100 Niger Delta youths to abroad for training in various skills.

    He also said that the ministry had entered into many training agreements with various European and United Kingdom training institutions to train the youths in strategic areas.

    According to him, such partnerships involve Ministry of Niger Delta with S.T Georges and Ministry of Youth and Sports to train Niger Delta youths on a programme tagged “Train and Engage.’’

    He said the trainees would be absorbed and constructively engaged in existing oil and gas industries as soon as they finished their training.

    The minister said the Local Content Office of the Africa House in UK, Africa Business Forum and the Ministry of Niger Delta had also entered into a collaboration to engage Niger Delta youths on a special programme along the NVQ model design.

    He said the NVQ model “is designed to train the youths in oil and gas based on industry need basis.’’

    He also warned that the era of getting paid for what had not been done had gone, insisting that “those who take up jobs as contractors must deliver quality jobs to justify the tax payers money paid for such jobs.

    “Contractors who appear to have abandoned their projects are advised to go back to site to complete them.

    “If they have found themselves incompetent to deliver, government should be made to know on time in order to re-award the contract to a more competent company.’’

    The minister urged the people of the region against complicating the current environmental challenge of the region by engaging in vandalism of oil and gas pipelines which cause oil spillage and pollution.

    “The government will compel oil spilling organisations to do the necessary clean-up because the government is on the side of the people to checking oil spillage.

    “Already the Federal Government has taken the lead in this direction as it has inaugurated the clean-up of Ogoni-land,’’ he said.

    In spite of all these, observers insist that the plans and goals for the development of the region can only be possible or feasible in an atmosphere of peace.

    They note that it is necessary for all parties to maintain peace and work together for the rapid development of the region.

    “We can achieve much more under an atmosphere of peace and tranquility than in an environment of confusion and chaos,’’ they insist.

    • Makanjuola is of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)