By Azubuike Okeh
Port Harcourt – An Economist, Prof. Simon Momodu has urged President Muhamadu Buhari to directly dialogue with the Niger Delta militants as a way of ending oil installation vandalism.
Momodu, a lecturer in the Rivers State University of Science and Technology made the call when speaking to newsmen in Port Harcourt on Wednesday.
He said that having such direct interface with the militants in the region would be more effective than using representatives.
According to him, various discussions about the region in the past have not yielded needed results because the `real people’ are left out.
He said that the government had kept interfacing with the same people that had failed to accord the region effective representation in the past.
“How can you be discussing with the same old leaders who are no longer trusted and expect to achieve results,’’ he said.
The university teacher said that achieving peace and calm in the Niger Delta was crucial to ensure effective funding of the 2017 budget.
“We are talking about the region that provides revenue to fund the budget, if the right environment is not provided, then revenue will not be generated.
“The president needs to come down and talk with the people, you will be surprise at the result that will be realised,’’ he said.
Speaking further on the budget, Momodu said that enough money was not allocated for education to tackle the decay and demands of the sector.
He also stated that effective implementation of budgetary provisions remained crucial to ensure better services for the people.
“No matter how flowery a budget speech may look or sound, not to have it effectively implemented means that nothing will be achieved.
“So government needs to do the needful to generate the needed money and ensure effective implementation of the budget in the interest of the people,’’ he said.
