• VP billed for another visit next month •N’Delta Devt Master Plan ready for submission to presidency
Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja
The recent visit of the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo to the Niger Delta is critical in the resolution of the conflict in the region, the Special Adviser to the President, Brig-Gen Paul Boroh (rtd) said yesterday.
He also disclosed that the Niger Delta Regional Development Master Plan, believed to hold the key for peace and the development of the region has been put together and ready for presentation to the presidency.
In an interactive session with journalists in Abuja, Boroh stated that prior to Osinbajo’s visit, scepticism reigned supreme on whether the federal government actually had the political will to resolve the crisis or was only paying lip service to the issue.
He argued that with Osinbajo’s visit, that cynicism had been laid to rest, adding that “it has become abundantly clear that the federal government is committed to the resolution of the conflict and stability and development of the Niger Delta.”
The VP’s visit, he said, was a critical factor to be considered in the resolution of the conflict in the Niger Delta.
“I think this is something we should take as part of the government in its stance towards achieving stability in the Niger Delta.
“Because of my experience in conflict and difficult situations, no amount of time, effort and resources spent to resolve conflict is too much. It’s better to resolve than to allow conflict. Look at what we are experiencing in the north-east; if we knew that it was going to be this bad, we would have stopped it immediately.
“We are going to spend so much money now to rebuild, to reconstruct, to rehabilitate, to reintegrate, to reconcile because there are frayed nerves. So, it is better to resolve than to allow it to happen. Destruction is the worst that you can allow to happen,” he said.
He noted that Osinbajo’s visit to the Niger Delta was not just one of such visits, adding that since then, there have been one or two follow ups.
“I was there. After the talks, there were interactions. The Political Adviser to the President has visited the area, as well as the Warri town to meet with some groups to drive home all the Vice President had started.
“It’s peace-building effort is on-going. That’s why there is calmness. I am also preparing to visit again this week and sometime next week. All we want to achieve is what we are beginning to see; we want stability and development,” he stated.
Boroh, who is also the Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), disclosed that in continuation of the federal government’s resolve to end the Niger Delta crisis, the Vice President is billed to return to the region in February.
On the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Boroh assured that it was on course and running.
He disclosed that a lot of efforts were being made to provide employment not only for the beneficiaries of the programme, but other youths in the region.
Boroh disclosed that agriculture and skills acquisition programmes were major areas of focus, in collaboration with various stakeholders.
On when the programme is to come to an end, Boroh said it was not easy to say categorically as the beneficiaries were still involved in their various programmes.
He cautioned that a hasty stoppage of the programme could lead to a relapse of violence in the region, noting was too much to due to achieve peace.