THE Niger Delta region is the region known in Nigeria as the South-South geo-political zone. It is made up of nine states, among which are Abia, Akwa-Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Imo, Ondo and Rivers, although some states which are geographically not in the South-South region were conscripted because of the availability of oil there.

This region is not a new found geographical location having been the economic back bone of Nigeria over several decades through its vast oil and natural gas resources. But it has become more prominent today for what is known as the Niger Delta struggle involving youths restiveness and its associated social menace.

The reasons for these have been attributed to decades of neglect of the people of this region by successive governments of Nigeria – “the neglect of the goose that lays the golden egg”. This story is well known internationally as it has been well documented in different media.

However,  governments starting with the administration of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo who created the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and adopted 13 per cent derivation policy for oil producing states with a view to accelerating the infrastructural development of the region, made some progress in redressing the injustice against people of the region.

But it was the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, who made huge strides in addressing the problems of the region with the establishment of the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, granting of amnesty to armed youths, and subsequent initiation of a post-amnesty programme.

This has gone a long way to douse the tension and violence that the region had been known for. The current President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, the first indigene of Niger Delta to occupy that exalted office consolidating on the gains of his predecessor has brought remarkable and tremendous peace and stability to the region and the result is the up shoot in oil production of the nation.

This achievement can be attributed to the foundation laid by his predecessors and his vast and well grounded understanding of the region and its people having served as Deputy Governor and Governor in Bayelsa, one of the states in the region. The people are, therefore, now seeing light at the end of the tunnel.

With the Federal Government’s intention to privatize the power sector which involves selling 51 per cent of its shares in the thermal power generating plants to core investors, comes another opportunity to uplift the economic and social well being of the people of the Niger Delta. Three of the power stations to be sold are in Sapele, Ughelli and Afam all in the Niger Delta with huge volume of natural gas reserve in the country.

It is therefore important to see how the privatization of these facilities will impact particularly on the people of Niger Delta. We believe that if consideration of the right of first refusal is given to entrepreneurs of Niger Delta origin with credible portfolio and relevant industrial track record, coupled with financial capacity to buy government’s minimum of 51 per cent stake, this will further give the people of the region a sense of belonging and excite patriotic behaviours from them.

The reason for this proposal is not sectional but highly patriotic given the fact that the feed stock for these plants is natural gas which is abundantly available in the region, and the issues of sabotage relating to pipeline vandalism will be greatly mitigated because you cannot destroy what belongs to you.

This is apart from the economic benefit arising from job creation and ancillary businesses that will service the industry which will have great social advantage in the area.

The social menace of violence, kidnapping, armed robbery, joblessness, rape, etc, resulting from long years of neglect would have been cured, and taken to a different height from giving hand-outs to youths in the name of amnesty: “Teaching the people how to fish and not giving them fish”. They would have profitably engaged themselves and use their hands to earn their income.

We fear that if consideration is not given to local content at this time in the power sector, we will have the same unpalatable experience as in the oil and gas sector with the people of Niger Delta worse off. The Federal Government must pay attention to developing local skills, technology transfer and use of local man power in the privatization of the power generating plants.

This will not only give the local work force a sense of belonging and patriotism but will also transform the lives of the communities around the facilities, economically and socially. Government should not waste time it did in considering the local content policy in the oil and gas sector but must act quickly and reasonably as a “stitch in time, saves nine”.

This is why it is  imperative for the Federal Government to apply a similar strategy it used in conceding the operation and management of the Egbin Power Station in Lagos to a Korean firm as well as the Olorunsogo Power Station in Osun State to the Chinese with the active involvement of local enterpreneurs from the South West region.

This has tremendous impact in the peaceful conduct of business and the socio-economic lives of the people in these areas. There is no law restraining the Federal Government from reaching out to similar credible and experienced enterpreneurs (not contractors) in the Niger Delta to negotiate the operation and management of the Sapele Power Station, Ughelli Power Station, and Afam Power Station with them using the Egbin and Olorunsogo example.

The advantages as highlighted above are numerous and the people will have a sense of belonging in the Nigerian State. Nigeria can only be fixed by Nigerians and not foreigners.

Other government agencies and parastatals such as the NDDC and Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs must key into this process to give the relevant support that is required for success in this venture.  Financial institutions in the country have a significant role to play as well.

We count on the posture of this administration as one with listening ears and one that has great understanding of the plight of Nigerians in general and that of the people of the Niger Delta in particular, to give due consideration to the above points.

Mr. TIMOTHY ORITSE, a public affairs analyst, writes from  Warri, Delta State.