By Abujah Rachael
Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo’s frequent visits to the Niger Delta region since the Federal Government initiated a post-Amnesty engagement in the region have left much be desired.
Between January and March, the vice-president has visited the oil producing areas four times, leading a high-level delegation to dialogue with leaders and representatives of the nine oil-producing states in the region.
In one of the visits, Osinbajo said Muhammadu Buhari’s administration was fully committed to finding a long lasting solution to the Niger Delta crisis through effective dialogue and positive engagements.
He believed that the visits would further boost the confidence necessary for the attainment of peace and prosperity in the region and the nation.
Addressing some residents of Ijaw Gbaramatu area in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta, he urged the people to ensure stability of the region to stimulate speedy development of the area.
He expressed concern that there was little evidence in terms of developments to justify the huge contribution of the Niger Delta region to the economy.
“No Nigerian can be proud with the state of development in the region; we are all beneficiaries from resources from the region.
“However, we cannot have instability and be able to carry out speedy developments of the region; the issues at stake are very clear; this is not time for negotiation, it is time to act and we know the issues.
“We must all prepare for a future that will not be dependent in oil resources; the Lagos-Calabar railway project is in the 2017 budget and when completed, it will benefit all the people of the Niger Delta region.
In his speech, retired Brig.-Gen. Paul Boroh, the Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, urged the people of the region to embrace the Federal Government’s gesture to develop the region.
He said the government’s readiness to treat the region as a special economic zone was a lifetime opportunity for the stakeholders.
He also called on the people of the area to maximise the benefits of the vice-president’s visit, observing that the visit was part of efforts by the government to find a lasting solution to some of the challenges the area.
He said the present administration deserved cooperation, commendation and support for identifying the environmental challenges of the Niger Delta region.
“The government’s acceptance of the demand by the Pan-Niger Delta Elders Forum (PANDEF) as an important working document for the resolution of the Niger Delta issues is worthy of commendation.
“The region’s development is a significant concession which PANDEF and other groups in the region should embrace,’’ he said.
The coordinator commended Buhari for his directive that the Nigeria Maritime University (NMU) should take off in the next academic year.
He, therefore, urged all concerned to get to work immediately and appealed to the National Assembly to pass the NMU Bill on time to meet the timetable.
According to him, Niger Delta citizens have a common agenda of a clean environment, jobs for the unemployed, peace and overall development of the region.
He, then, appealed for better understanding and tolerance and the need for a united front by all the peoples in the region to achieve the objectives of the government’s plans for the region.
He said elders, leaders, traditional leaders and youths of the Niger Delta region had a duty to work for a climate of peace to ensure development.
Boroh also called on oil companies operating in the region to invest in the environment, human capacity and infrastructure to ensure a win-win outcome and confidence building in the region.
The chairman said it was time for those from the region to take the responsibility of ensuring peace and security in the area in their interest and that of the future generation.
He stressed that it was the duty of all stakeholders to be committed to the peace, security and prosperity of the region.
Boroh further maintained that development could not occur without peace and security and called for collective action to ensure a more peaceful and safe Niger Delta region.
Appraising the present administration’s programmes for the region, Sen. Victor Ndoma-Egba, Chairman, Governing Board, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), said the increase in the budgets of the Ministry of Niger -Delta Affairs, the NDDC and the Amnesty Programme by the Buhari-led Federal Government should be commended.
He assured the public that the achievement in the East-West Rail line, the proposed clean-up of the Ogoni region and the recent dialogue with leaders from the region would be sustained.
During the recent visit, the vice-president also inspected projects in Rivers where he expressed satisfaction with the rate of infrastructural development.
In the same vein, Gov. Nyisom Wike of Rivers assured Osinbajo that the state government would cooperate with the Federal Government to develop the state.
“I believe the visit of the vice-president will bring good relationship between the Federal Government and Rivers.
“Let us allow the interest of the majority in whatever we do; party must take the back seat, and the interest of Rivers is paramount.
“That is why we are doing everything we can to cooperate with the Federal Government because we believe in the unity of this nation,’’ he said.
The Federal Government’s resolve is to hasten the return of peace to the region and ensure the steady production of oil, Nigeria’s biggest foreign exchange earner, in a bid to bail the country out of recession.
Concerned citizens, therefore, note that Osinbajo’s visits to the region will quicken peace- building process and developments, including the take-off of NMU.
The essence of the visits, according to them, will also include the return of oil pipeline protection contracts to ex-agitators, approved construction of modular refineries and revamping of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, among others.
Also, observers believe that the visits have reduced tension in the polity and curbed the activities pipe-line vandals.
They note that while the vice-president’s outreach to the Niger Delta region continues, there is need for all parties to abide by agreements to stabilise the region for sustainability of peace and increase in oil output to get the country out of recession.