NIGER DELTA SUMMIT ON DIVERSION

By FEMI FALANA

Contrary to the official commitment of the Federal Government to address the Niger Delta crisis the Yar’adua Administration has continued to reinforce the age long neglect and underdevelopment of the Niger Delta. The proposed Niger Delta Summit is deliberately designed to divert attention from the on-going militarization of the Niger Delta region by Federal Government.

The arrogant posture of the Federal Government on the ill-fated Summit is symptomatic of contempt for the people of the Niger Delta. This is not surprising in view of the following policies:

1.     Last year, the Federal Government released the N10 billion Lagos State Local Government Funds illegally withheld by the Olusegun Obasanjo Administration. But when asked to release the N223 Billion statutory allocations owed the Niger Delta Development Corporation (NDDC) the Federal Government claimed that the funds had expired.

2.     The National Environmental Standard and Regulations Enforcement Agency Act, 2007(signed into law by President Yar’adua in July, 2007) has excluded the operation of the environmental protection law “in the oil and gas sector”. In the circumstances the Niger Delta people have been exposed to incessant pollution, hazardous risks, ozone depletion without any justification.

3.     The Revenue Allocation Formula being proposed by the Yar’adua Administration has conveniently rubbished the legitimate demand of the Niger Delta for increase in the 13% Derivation.

4.     The on-going secret trial of Mr. Henry Okah for treason for allegedly collecting catches of arms and ammunition from military officers who have been treated as sacred cows by the Federal Government.

5.     The decision of the Federal Government to bomb Niger Delta militants out of existence by an army that has been indicted for trafficking in arms and ammunition in the Niger Delta.

6.     The appointment of Professor Agboola Gambari, a man who has consistently used the platform of the United Nations, to undermine the struggle of the Niger Delta is the height of insensitivity.

Having been roundly rejected by the major stakeholders in the Niger Delta Professor Agboola Gambari should be asked to step down as the Chairman of the proposed Niger Delta Summit.  Instead of dissipating energies and resources on the Summit the Federal Government should constitute a Committee of credible Nigerians to implement the recommendations of many private and public summits that were held on the Niger Delta crisis in the last 10 years.