Ahamefula Ogbu
The Niger Delta Peace Agitators, a group in the region, has while commending the developmental paradigm being executed by President Muhammadu Buhari, alleged that political leaders, oil companies and intervention agencies like the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) had abandoned or neglected their core mandates resulting in underdevelopment of the region.
The group which rose from a stakeholders’ meeting yesterday in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, alleged that by not carrying non-violence agitators in the region along in their programmes, they were indirectly working at cross purposes with the government with the impression that violence was the only avenue to be recognised and carried along.
A communique issued by the group, which was signed by its spokesperson, Kenule Barido Nwiya Jnr, called for the relocation of the head offices of all oil companies to the Niger Delta as well as the facilitation of a peaceful dialogue among all stakeholders to smoothen every rough edge that threatens peace in the region.
The group said: “As a mother body of a non-violent group in the Niger Delta region, we consider President Buhari love and passion towards the peace and development of the Niger Delta area second to none as his administration is ensuring peace and adequate security in the region.
“It is no doubt that we cannot exhaustively talk about all the remarkable achievements in the region less than four years in office, some of them which are the availability of fuel produce; the general overhauling/rehabilitation of Port Harcourt refinery, the rehabilitation of Eleme East West Road in Rivers State to a dual six lane road; the renovation and completion of Port Harcourt International Airport; the Ogoni cleanup project; the Niger Delta Maritime Academy; appointments of Niger Delta indigenes in position of trust both in Nigeria and beyond among others.
“It is not in doubt that President Buhari has done incredibly well, but sadly, some multi-nationals, political leaders and even federal parastatals like the NDDC whose core mandate is to ensure development in all Niger Delta states are sabotaging the efforts of the president by not carrying the non-violent youths along in all their critical programmes domiciled in the region.
“Having reviewed all the petition that have been written against multi-nationals operating in the region, we hereby demand that all administrative and operational headquarters of multi nationals operating in the region be returned back to the region as that will help in sustaining and enhancing the peace process in the Niger Delta region.”
