By Inalegwu Shaibu
ABUJA— THE Senate has urged President Umaru Yar’Adua to quickly address the Niger Delta problem in the wake of the alarm raised by the Group Managing Director (GMD) of Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Engineer Mohammed Barkindo that Nigeria has only two weeks reserve of crude oil for domestic consumption.
The Senate also took a swipe at the Niger Delta leaders for failing to effectively manage all the statutory allocations that have gone to the troubled oil rich region over the years.
enate’s spokesman, Senator Ayogu Eze, who was reacting to reports in Abuja, that the country’s refineries may be shut down at about a fortnight’s time owing to non-availability of crude for production said Yar’Adua must speed up the amnesty initiatives and implement the Niger Delta Master Plan to save the nation from the imminent danger.
He said, “We are saddened by the development and also bring into sharper focus the need for us to design a more robust answer to happenings in the Niger Delta. And also places in perspective the amnesty initiative of Mr. President because in offering that initiative, Mr. President was guarded by the interest of Nigerians.
I think Niger Delta problem has become like a sore thumb and unless we do something about it, the rest of the fingers will not be at peace.
“We must strategize together; we must go back to the Niger Delta master plan, go back to all the initiatives that government has put in place to address the issue of militancy and unrest in the Niger Delta.
“We must ask the state assemblies in the Niger Delta to rise up to call their leaders to question because apart from the intervention of the Federal Government a lot of statutory allocations have also gone to these states. If these allocations were used for the interest of the people, I am sure it would have ameliorated the sufferings of the people of the area.”
Beside the implementation of the master plan, Senator Eze said the region also needs greater autonomy in the control of the oil resources.
The gvt should device a mechanism through which the resources will get to the commonest man in these oil producing communities, and not just putting money in the hands of politicians.
Same old trick but how many will learn from history? Died before arrival..
So were are the Members of House of Rep and Senate that support the outslaught of defenceless Niger deltas,shame on you is now time to apologies to the peoples of the Niger Deltas Mr Bankole for your uneducated stand of war against your citizens,i guess now there is no oil in the pipelines.By the Grace of God we shall succeed.
Senator, David mark and co. hehehehehehe
SENATOR AYOGU IS RIGHT…
IBORI, AMALAMEISYA , ODILI etc
everybody knows about their stories plsssssssssss
By the way, what is the bpd as of now?
This is just a cosmetic approach. True federalism remains the only key and I hope the Senators know this
Mr. President now that you have shown good faith, you must take the next bold step. Mr. President you must now put tuor money where your mouth is.
We want ACTION, ACTION ACTION from now on. Mr. President you have taken a very bold step and you must continue as relaxing is not an option NOW.
The problem in the Niger Delta was caused by the followings,
1. The International Multi National companies in the Niger Delta. These companies operate as cow boys and with reckless abandon, They have destroyed the environment, the waters, the lands of the Niger Delta. They polluted the waters, lands and the environment and as a result, the people can not farm on their lands or fish in their waters, which is their main occupations. The people are dieing dailly of diseases, caused by the polution to the environment. These multi nationals build cheap infrastrutures like pipe lines etc., without regards to internationally accepted norms and good practices. There will never do such things in other parts of the world, where they are operating, otherwise they will pay very dearly for such horrible practices. The multi Nationals have made a lot of money from these sharp practices, at the expence of the lives of the people of the Niger Delta.
2. The next offenders are federal and state governments of all shades, both past and present, who have made lot of money by ignoring and encouraging with nods, the multi National companies to get away with murder. .
3. The third group are the so called selfish leaders, or do i say dealears of the Niger Delta, who have also made a lot of money from the sufferings of the people of The Niger Delta, Some of the them and their collaborators, sponsor the criminals, to forment and cause a lot of sufferings to the people of the Niger Delta.
4. The President must without futher delay, publish the names of those, who have been sponsoring these criminals in the Niger Delta. The President must name and shame them.
Now that you have given amnesty, to the genuine agitators, we should now have a truth and reconcilliation commitee, so that we can learn a lesson from all these.
WHAT THE PRESIDENT SHOULD DO NOW!!
The federal government should introduce, a wind fall tax on the huge profits, the multi nationals made over the period and use ALL the money for the IMMEDIATE developement of the Niger Delta and the ecconomic empowerment of the people of the Niger Delta. This is what is done, even in developed countries. In Great Britain, when the Labour came into power, they introdued the wind fall tax, inorder to claw back some of the huge profits, the companies made, when the Conservative party in government, sold very cheaply all government companies during the Privatization process. ALL the money realised was used to creat new jobs and train the unemployed. This move was very popular with the British public. You should bear in mind that, most of the companies, that made the huge profits in The Niger Delta, are British and American companies. This move will be popular in Nigeria and these British and American companies will not fault it. All you have to do is, to refer them to what happened in the United kingdom.
ALL the money realised from the excess crude, which was got any way, from the Niger Delta, should be used for the immediate ecconomic development and empowerment of the people of the Niger Delta.
The federal government should draw down now, 30% of its external revenue for the immediate ecconomic developement of the Niger Delta and ecconomic empowerment of the people of the Niger Delta. The ferderal government should not give the usual excuse, that this draw down will affect the value of the naira, as this is a price that, we should pay for the peace and stability of the Niger Delta and Nigeria. ALL THESE MUST BE DONE NOW!! Mr. President do all these and you have solved the problems in The Niger Delta permanently. If you do ALL of these history and prosterity will remember you very kindly.
Hahahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahaha!!!!!! Hahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!! Business no dey go well again o!Hahahahahahahahaha! Senator Ayogu Eze,don’t blame Niger Delta elders.The elders have been calling on govt to develope the region before now but it fell on deaf ears and now……..Hahahhahahhahahahahahahaha!!!!!!! Na waa o.Nigeria has been exposed!Hmmmmmmmm……. I still dey wonder………Hmmmmm……