By EMMA AMAIZE
NIGER-DELTA elders, today, at a meeting in Warri, Delta State, gave four conditions that should be met by the Federal Government for its peace process on the Niger-Delta, including amnesty for militants to work.
They, however, volunteered to set up a contact group to liaise with all the militant groups with a view to building trust and ensuring the success of the peace process.
The first is that all detained militants, especially Henry Okah of the Movement for Emancipation of the Niger-Delta (MEND) have to be released by the Federal Government to show honesty and sincerity.
The second is rehabilitation of all the victims of the recent conflict in the region; third is the immediate implementation of the Niger-Delta Technical Committee report, headed by Mr. Ledum Mitee, which was submitted to the Federal Government, about six months ago and the fourth is the withdrawal of the Joint Task Force (JTF) on the Niger-Delta from the region.
The meeting hosted by a prominent South-South leader, Chief Edwin Clark, was attended by delegates from the Niger-Delta region, including the first civilian governor of Edo state and national chairman of the South-South Peoples Assembly (SSPA), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, chairman of the Niger-Delta Technical Committee (NDTC), Mr. Ledum Mitee, former provost marshal of the Nigeria Army and chairman of the SSPA, Edo State, Brigadier General Idada Ikponmwen (retd.), chairman of the SSPA, Delta State, Dr. Brown Adasen, Prince Okareme Maikpobi and former commissioner in Delta state, Dr. Richard Tonsanwunmi. Also at the meeting were Hon Emma Akpasong, Chief I.O Jerry from Bayelsa state, F.J. Williams from Ondo state, Ambassador Orike from Rivers state amongst others.
The communiqué issued at the end of the meeting read: “After exhaustive discussion we arrived at the following conclusions: “*We accept the amnesty but the amnesty must be negotiated by the Niger-Delta elders after due consultation with the Governors of the zone and the freedom fighters.
*The Niger-Delta leaders should organize and work for the unity of the region by setting up structures that would deal with the unity of the region and touching base with the fighting boys. *The Mitee Committee report should be implemented *Victims of the conflict should be provided for and as quickly as possible to enable them to return to their communities. Compensation should be paid and losses remedied *Release of all detainees like Okah;
*We accept and acknowledge in principle the grant of amnesty by the Federal Government as an important step in the quest for peace in the Niger-Delta. We, however, believe that for the amnesty to have the desired impact and be successful, it has to be taken within the broad context of the underlying problems of the region.
*Accordingly, the Niger-Delta elders have resolved to work towards the success of the peace process through setting up of a contact group with all militant groups with a view to building trust as well as with the government.”
These elders are chameleons. Now it is clear what they want.
They want to be part and parcel of the shearing of the largesse. They want to pocket the money and continue firing the embers of violence. They are blackmailing the government. Meanwhile all these elders have unfettered access to President Yar’Adua. Why can’t they go to him and advice him silently instead of sourcing cheap popularity by repeating what we have been hearing for so long?
True elders should have known that the best way to resolve issues is through constructive dialogue. Check out Martin Luther king jnr, check out Indra Ghandi. No amount of war could have achieved what these men achieved with peaceful dialogue.
The government should not mind them. Where were they when the problem was yearning for solution? They were behind arming and sponsoring the militants against the federal republic of Nigeria and shearing in the loot from oil bunkering. Now they want to be the negotiators. All along they know the identity of those who have been wrecking havoc but kept pretending.
The government should not deal with them at all. they are fake and mischeivous.
it is now very clear that those leaders are all bunch of cowards…or they are out of touch with reality..they speak for them selves and for the region ..for now it would be wiser they should please forget blabbing about anything called AMNESTY,on the other hand if they are accepting it ,then is for them alone.these fake elders or leaders are not relevant any more to anyone…,this very moment is very vital..if we as an oppressed people we stay together like a bond,and maintain our position and allow MEND to do what it knows best..soon victory will be ours ….pls
I very much doubt the direction this N50billion will go. I am very sure it will end in private accounts of fraudulent negociators. stories will surly be told about this money. I even doubt if it will be released. The little that will be released will be shared privately or contracts inflated. This is not the cure, its is an avenue to enrich the same old thieves. God help Niger delta and hang thses thieves. Oscar Liverpool uk
The so called amnesty is only but a pain reliever and not a remedy or cure to the niger delta crisis.If only the federal government had spent 50billion on capital development in the gbaramtu kingdom since 1999! And now that 50 billion is made available for SOS AMNESTY, hw much is made available for SOS NIGER DELTA?
There can’t be peace without justice. So, let the so-called federal governmnet of Nigeria ensure that comprehensive justice is done to the entire Niger Delta people. Anything short of that will be continous support for the activities of MEND and other genuine forces of liberation in the region.
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THESE LEADERS MUST STOP TALKING OF AMNESTY AS AMNESTY IS FOR THOSE WHO COMMIT CRIMES. THE PEOPLE OF THE NIGER DELTA DID NOT COMMIT ANY CRIME BECAUSE WE HAVE CURDE OIL AND GAS. WE HAVE BEEN SUSTAINING THE WHOLE COUNTRY. ABUJA AND EVIRONS WAS BUILT WITH THE MONEY FROM THE NIGER DELTA. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHOULD USE THE SAME SPEED THEY USED IN BUILDING ABUJA, TO BUILD AND DEVELOPE THE NIGER DELTA. WE SHOULD STOP BEING APOLOGETIC AS IF WE ARE THE OFFENDERS. THE PEOPLE OF THE NIGER DELTA ARE THE VICTIMS. IF THEY ARE CRIMINALS IN THE NIGER DELTA, THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD GO AFTER THEM. THEY SHOULD NAME AND SHAME THEM, INCLUDING THEIR BACKERS AND COLLABORATORS.
WHAT IS REQUIRED IN THE NIGER DELTA IS IMMEDIATE MASSIVE ECCONMIC DEVELOPEMENT OF THE AREA AND iMMIDIATE AND MASSIVE ECCONOMIC EMPOWERMENT OF THE PEOPLE OF THE NIGER DELTA. USE THE EXCESS CRUDE MONEY, USE PART OF THE EXTERNAL RESERVE, INTRODUCE WINDFAL TAX ON THE COMPANIES THAT CAUSED THE PROBLEM AND USE THE MONEY TO PROGRESS AND DEVELOPE THE NIGER DELTA. WE NEED AN IMMEDIATE MARTIAL PLAN IN THE NIGER DELTA. PURSUE THIS MARTIAL PLAN, WITH THE SAME ZEAL, VIGOR AND ENTHUSIAZM, AS WAS USED IN BUILDING ABUJA AND ENVIRONS. NO MORE SLOGANS, NO MORE TALKS, NO MORE TITLE TATLE, NO MORE INFANTILE APPROACH TO THE PROBLEMS OF THE NIGER DELTA. NO MORE POSTPONNING OF ACTIONS, NO MORE PROMOSES. IF THEY ARE CRIMINALS JAIL THEM, NAME AND SHAME THEM. NAME THEIR SUPPORTERS AND COLLABORATORS. WE WANT ACTION! ACTION!! ACTION!!! AND WE WANT IT NOW! NOW! NOW!!! NOW!!!. MISS THIS OPPORTUNUTY TO RIGHT THE PAST WRONGS AND MISS IT FOR EVER. MAKE HISTORY MR PRESIDENT.
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.
MR PRESIDENT I HOPE THAT THERE IS NO HIDDEN AGENDA, WITH THIS AMNESTY OF A THING. IT APPEARS THAT THE WAY YOU ARE PURSUING AND PROGRESSING IT, IS BECOMMING WORRYING AND I HOPE YOU ARE NOT UNDER EXTREME PRESSURE, FORM THE CORRUPT AND INDICTED EX GOVERNORS, AS MOST OF THEM ARE THE BACKERS AND COLLABORATORS OF THE CRIMINAL ELEMENTS IN THE NIGER DELTA. THEY ARE MAKING BLOOD MONEY IN ADDITION TO THE ONE THEY LOOTED AND STOLE FROM THE TREASURY. THESE CORRUPT AND INDICTED EX GOVERNORS AND THEIR COLLABORATORS STAND TO BENEFIT MASSIVELY FROM THIS BLANKET AMNESTY OF A THING. YOU SHOULD ALSO REMEMBER THE UNIFORMED PERSONS YOU SENT TO THE NIGER DELTA AS THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF OF NIGERIA, TO MENTAIN THE PEACE AND SOME OF THEM WERE SLAUGHTERED IN COLD BLOOD BY THE CRIMINALS.
THESE CORRUPT AND INDICTED EX GOVERNORS, ARE THE SAME PERSONS, WHO CLAIMED THAT THEY BANK ROLED YOUR ELECTION AND THEY ARE NOW SAYING THAT THEY WILL ALSO, BANK ROLE YOU 2011 ELECTION. MR PRESIDENT YOU MUST CLEAR THE AIR. NIGER DELTA DOES NOT WANT AMNESTY, AS AMNESTY IS FOR THOSE THAT COMMITED CRIMES, WE IN THE NIGER DELTA DID NOT COMMIT ANY CRIME BY HAVING CRUDE OIL AND GAS. I AM SICK AND TIRED OF PEOPLE PATRONISING US AND THIS MUST STOP.
AMNESTY IS NOT AMNESTIA. WHAT IS REQUIRED IN THE NIGER DELTA IS IMMEDIATE MASSIVE ECCONMIC DEVELOPEMENT OF THE AREA AND IMMEDIATE AND MASSIVE ECCONOMIC EMPOWERMENT OF THE PEOPLE OF THE NIGER DELTA. USE THE EXCESS CRUDE MONEY, USE PART OF THE EXTERNAL RESERVE, INTRODUCE WINDFAL TAX ON THE COMPANIES THAT CAUSED THE PROBLEM AND USE THE MONEY TO PROGRESS AND DEVELOPE THE NIGER DELTA. WE NEED AN IMMEDIATE MARTIAL PLAN IN THE NIGER DELTA. PURSUE THIS MARTIAL PLAN, WITH THE SAME ZEAL, VIGOR AND ENTHUSIAZM, AS WAS USED IN BUILDING ABUJA AND ENVIRONS. NO MORE SLOGANS, NO MORE TALKS, NO MORE TITLE TATLE, NO MORE INFANTILE APPROACH TO THE PROBLEMS OF THE NIGER DELTA. NO MORE POSTPONNING OF ACTIONS, NO MORE PROMOSES. IF THEY ARE CRIMINALS JAIL THEM, NAME AND SHAME THEM. NAME THEIR SUPPORTERS AND COLLABORATORS. WE WANT ACTION! ACTION!! ACTION!!! AND WE WANT IT NOW! NOW! NOW!!! NOW!!!. MISS THIS OPPORTUNUTY TO RIGHT THE PAST WRONGS AND MISS IT FOR EVER. MAKE HISTORY MR PRESIDENT. ABUJA WAS CREATED IN LESS THAN TEN YEARS, WITH MONEY MADE FROM THE NIGER DELTA, WHY NOT THE NIGER DELTA WHERE ALL THE MONEY OF NIGERIA WAS MADE, THIS INCLUDES EXCESS CURDE AND THE HUGE EXTERNAL RESERVE.
START THE IMMEDIATE MASSIVE DEVELOPEMENT OF THE NIGER DELTA NOW!!!!!!
Amnesty International has described the crisis in the Niger Delta as a “human rights tragedy,” saying that the people of the area have seen their human rights abused by oil companies which their government cannot hold to account. The group, in a report released on Tuesday, said the situation in the Niger Delta, home to 31 million people, has fuelled anger and conflict. “People living in the Niger Delta have to drink, cook with, and wash in polluted water; they eat fish contaminated with oil and other toxins – if they are lucky enough to still be able to find fish,” said the report. The report stated that the situation in the Niger Delta provides a stark example of the lack of accountability of a government to its people, and of multinational companies’ almost total lack of accountability when it comes to the impact of their operations on human rights. The report titled, “Petroleum, Pollution and Poverty in the Niger Delta”, was presented by its Head of Business and Human Rights, Audrey Gaughran. It examined oil spills, gas flaring, waste dumping and other environmental impacts of the oil industry, stressing that evidence gathered on pollution and environment damage relates to the operations of Shell, the main oil company operating on land in the Niger Delta. The agency said that the human rights impact of pollution in the Niger Delta is greatly under-reported, adding that the majority of people in the area depend on the natural environment for their food and livelihood, particularly through agriculture and fisheries. Amnesty blames both the government and multi-national oil giants for the rights abuses in sub-Saharan Africa’s most populous country.
MR. PRESIDENT YOU ARE NOT LISTENING. YOU SHOULD USE NIGER DELTA MONEY TO DEVELOPE THE NIGER DELTA IMMEDIATELY. ABUJA AND ENVIRONS WERE RAPIDLY DEVELOPED WITH THE MONEY FROM THE NIGER DELTA. THE SAME INTEREST AND SPEED THAT WAS USED TO DEVELOPE ABUJA SHOULD BE USED TO DEVELOPE THE NIGER DELTA. THIS WILL BE A WIN WIN FOR NIGERIA. THE CRISES WILL STOP, INVESTMENTS WILL RUSH IN, THE YOUTHS WILL BE GAINFULLY EMPLOYED, NIGERIA WILL MAXIMISE HER CRUDE OIL AND GAS PRODUCTIONS,TOURISM WILL FLORISH, NIGERIAN INTELLECTUALS AND BUSINESS PEOPLE ABROAD WILL COME BACK TO NIGERIA AND CREATE A LOT OF JOBS. AS LITTLE AS 100,000.00 (ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND) POUNDS COULD ESTABLISH A SMALL COTTAGE INDUSTRY OF A SMALL FARM AND ABOUT SIX WELL PAID JOBS CAN BE CREATED. BY SIMPLE CALCULATION, ABOUT ONE MILLION NIGERIANS ABROAD CAN RAISE THIS TYPE OF MONEY. THAT IS ABOUT SIX MILLION NEW JOBS. MR. PRESIDENT LISTEN! LISTEN!! LISTEN!!! LISTEN!!!. TIME IS NOT ON OUR SIDE AND YOUR SIDE MAKE HASTE NOW!!!!!
MR. PRESIDENT WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE NIGER DELTA IS A CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY AND GENOCIDE.
Comment
There is a time to talk and a time to take action. The time to take action and stop all the worthless communiques is now! Support MEND to cripple the oil industry so that we can have the right atmosphere to then talk about fiscal federalism
ND leaders must include vital economic infrastructures like major international airports (Warri, PH, Calabar, Uyo), dredging and equiping of all seaports in the region, industrial parks, forest reserve parks, Federal Roads, marine transp, integrated pipeborne water system, ND participation in NNPC group of companies management based on derivation principle.
thankgod that you are there to stand for our fighters. i am a pastor by calling and i pray for you leaders of our delta and our fighters. i was born in 1977 and was born to see fire burning in my community called IMIRINGI in bayelsa state with nothing to show for it. the only projects we have that was done by shell for this years they have been in my place is the roads they made that leads to their locations called access roads and out of fighting, it was linked to the village. second a water project that is not working as i am writing this. and now for the pass few weeks have jst started making some likn roads withing the villige with cement. i know one man who does not feel the pains we feel will tell me .woow then shell has done alot in my village, is this projects compared to what they have taken for this years?
my elders and leaders i want to say again thank you for standing for all of us and for our fighters. we shall not give up. God bless you all and god bless the niger delta. amen.
pastor ranami