By Emma Amaize &Davies Iheamnachor

WARRI— THE Foundation for Human Rights and Anti- Corruption Crusade, FHRACC, and Niger Delta Progressive Youth Leaders Council, NDPYLC, have asked the Federal Government to use the confidence-building visit of the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, and his team to Niger Delta, next week, to tie up its development plan to address the neglect of the region once and for all.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo flanked by ( l-r) minister of state for environment, minister of environment; Hajia Amina Mohammed; Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike and Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha at the launch of the clean-up of Ogoniland and other oil impacted communities in the Niger/Delta

FHRACC, in a statement by the national president, Alaowei Cleric, yesterday, said: ”Since we stand on peaceful resolution of the crisis, any genuine step taken by the Federal Government to resolve the crisis is appreciated. We hope that the government uses this medium to fine-tune the real cause of the crisis and address them once and for all.

“The proposed fact finding visit to the Gbaramatu kingdom and some other parts of the Niger Delta region by Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo is a right step in the direction if the visit will not be like his last year’s visit to Ogulagha kingdom, where he came to inspect the damaged Forcados Trunk line without inspecting the ecological challenges of the environmentally devastated Ogulagha community in Burutu LGA of Delta state.

“We warn that the government should eschew its double standard in the matter. A situation where the Vice President is coming to the region to look for peaceful solution to the crisis, while the government’s security agencies are on a witch-hunt mission to arrest every Tom, Dick and Harry cannot be said to be a peaceful visit. That is the greatest antithesis of the Niger Delta crisis.

“You cannot say one thing today and do another thing tomorrow. We, therefore, call for the unconditional release of ex-agitator and member of the Delta State Waterways and Land Security Committee, DSWLSC, Smith Bounanaowei, and all other persons arrested by security operatives since February, 2016. The sincerity government can display is in releasing the detainees, otherwise peace will continue to elude the region.”

Similarly, NDPYLC asked the Federal Government to direct the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, MNDA, and Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, to commence the implementation of the Niger Delta Regional Development Master Plan,  NDRDMP.

In a statement yesterday in Port Harcourt, leader of the group, Iyke Daniel and the Publicity Secretary, Kingsley Maduka, said: “We support the Federal Government of Nigeria under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari on the various programmes and policies aimed at putting the country on the path of progress and prosperity and for the appointment of Mr. Useni Uguru, and Mr. Ishaku Darius as Minister and Minister of State respectively for Niger Delta Affairs Ministry. We urge the government, through the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs/NDDC to, as a matter of priority, demonstrate the needed courage and political will to implement the Niger Delta Regional Development Master Plan which represents a holistic approach to the developmental needs of the region in term of human and natural infrastructure.

“We, therefore, demand for the Federal Government to ensure increased and robust funding of the ministry and the commission to deliver on their mandates. We are confident of the capacity of the board of the NDDC, and the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs as presently constituted to deliver on the needs of the people.”