By Ola Ajayi
Ibadan – FOR the resurgence of militancy in the Niger Delta region which has resulted in incessant attacks on oil and gas insallations to be nipped in the bud, there is need for urgent fine-tuning of the Niger Delta Amnesty Programme introduced by late President Umaru Yar’Adua administration.

The call was made by a guest lecturer,Professor Ladipo Adamolekun, while speaking on a topic entitled, “The idea of Nigeria: Two challenges-unity in diversity and prosperity” at the 9th Convocation ceremony of a privately- owned university, Lead City University, Ibadan.

The don who excelled in Public Administration and French Language also suggested that that the Federal Government should de-bureaucratise the implementation of projects and programmes aimed at promoting soci-economic activities and reducing poverty in the Niger-Delta area.

Other antidote that the erudite scholar canvassed includes enhancement of service delivery capability of Niger Delta Development Commission through recruitment of competent and top flight experts and professionals with appropriate renumerations to turn the commission into a well- performing organisation.

The renowned Professor also said to bridge the widening gap among ethnic groups in the country, the government should ensure that a new constitution is provided adding that continued efforts to amend the 1999 constitution would not solve the problem.

“It is important ti stress that with keeping Nigeria one as the central objective, equality among the six geo-political zones must dictate the composition of a Sovereign National Conference, which he suggested, and there must be North/South balance in the appointment of its leadership”, he said.

At a well-attended programme which attracted many important dignatries, Adamolekun spoke extensively on other threats to national security and citizens’ personal safety which he said, deserved serious attention.

According to him, the menace of armed herdsmen and rampant kidnappings across the country that result from the limited capability of a centralised police force, the federal and state governments need to agree on effective delegation of police powers to state governors to ensure meaningful community policing, pending the provision for state police in the proposed new constitution.

While giving panacea that could make anti-corruption war to be effective, the professor said a portion the constitution-prohibition of foreign accounts, should be given priority and that the failure of the administration to record any significant number of corrupt persons that are punished to date means that the country is still witnessing the deepening of corruption.

He concluded by saying that if the government is serious about keeping corruption at bay, there should be a coalition approach through joint ownership of a national anti-corruption strategy invoving the public, private and voluntary sectors as well as interested opinion leaders within the society.

Earlier, the Chairman of the occasion who is the Chancellor of the university, Prof. Gabriel Ogunmola traced the history of the university saying since it was founded in 2005, it has recorded several landmark achievements.

He said, the citadel of learning is blessed with outstanding merit with many eminent scholars joining and supporting them in the journey so far.