Abdulfattah Olajide
18 July 2008
Abuja — Following stiff opposition to the proposed Niger Delta Summit by the stakeholders from the region, the Federal Government has shelved the summit and agreed to set up a committee to articulate the needs of the region and submit its report to the government.
Vice President Goodluck Jonathan announced after a Niger Delta stakeholders meeting at the State House late on Wednesday night that "basically, what we have agreed today is that if there are problems in the Niger Delta, what are these problems, what caused these problems, what is the way forward, the challenges, the issues? So we have agreed that a committee would be set up to raise these issues and then the issues would be presented to the President. Then the journey starts from there. The committee will raise the fundamental issues, what we believe are the challenges and present it to the Federal Government and make recommendations on the way forward. So when the document is presented to the President, we will look at it and then move from there."
The proposed summit has been dogged by controversy, which saw the resignation of Professor Ibrahim Gambari as chairman of its steering committee. Many stakeholders from the Niger Delta region have argued that the summit itself is unnecessary.
The Vice President however said the summit was shelved because of the wrong perception people have about it. He said discussions on Niger Delta would be continuous, since the issues involved cannot be resolved overnight.
"When you use the world summit, it is a problematic word now because the people feel that when you say summit, that people will come from everywhere, different memos, sentiments, and they will say it is a jamboree. It is not really what they want. We will raise the issues, present it before the Federal Government and we will dialogue. Let's leave it at that point. We are not using the word summit."
He added, "Even the Federal Government, what we want is a discussion. Let us listen to the issues in the Niger Delta. Different people have different thinking about the Niger Delta. Some people think it is purely a security matter, some think it is purely an infrastructural matter, some think it is a political matter. Some think it is education; if you educate everybody and give skills to everybody. So, it is a complex thing. The committee will raise the fundamental issues what we believe are the challenges and present it to the Federal Government and make recommendations on the way forward. So when the document is presented to the President, we will look at it and then move from there."
"They are not issues you can solve overnight but the present administration is committed. The whole thing is growing like a cancer and it is going to consume everybody if nothing is done. That is why are holding these various meetings. We must get to a point and move ahead. We cannot solve it overnight. That is what everybody must learn. If it was possible to solve it overnight, probably it would have been solved before some of us entered primary school.
We have seen some mileage in terms of consensus on the way forward. That is the most important thing. We have agreed on how to move ahead with the Federal Government," the vice president also said.
He however said Wednesday night's meeting would not be the last as consultations with various groups will continue. He said, "I will continue to meet with different groups. I have a meeting with the governors after the National Economic Council meeting."
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My dear friend even a blind man knows there are problems in the niger delta,but is it diffrent than problems in other parts of the country,my dear the only diffrence is that the NDelta people belive the wealth is from their region.True no doubt,but you talk of giving them a fraction of te billions come o i know know you were just writing without even knowing what you are writing about. The amount of money sent to rivers state alone is the cummulative sum of all the what is spent in all ibo speaking states in the country.My dear that… [Read Full Text]
It is a shame that the Government doesn't know the problems faced by her people and she should be ashamed to say it publicly. The problem is that we have square pegs in round holes. If the leadership of Nigeria knew what they are doing, the issues the people are facing do not need a sooth-sayer or comittee to present findings. The Vice president himself is a Niger Delta man. If at this stage of life, He cannot state the problems his people are facing and proffer solutions to them, then he doesn't deserve to be called a Doctor, he… [Read Full Text]
This is a sign of a good thing to happen showing that finally someone is listening. I write and suggested the same exact thing that the Fed. Govt. has now proffered on Niger Delta. The only variation is the use of an Independent Third Party like the President Jimmy Carter Center, President Clinton or Kofi Anna to chair the committee. It will give credence and trust and assure the warring parties that the Fed. is now serious.
I equally suggested the inclusion of delegates from all the warring freedom fighters in Niger Delta and all the oil producing areas. This… [Read Full Text]
This is a sign of a good thing to happen showing that finally someone is listening. I wrote and suggested the same exact thing that the Fed. Govt. has now proffered on Niger Delta. The only variation is the use of an Independent Third Party like the President Jimmy Carter Center, President Clinton or Kofi Anna to chair the committee. It will give credence and trust and assure the warring parties that the Fed. is now serious.
I equally suggested the inclusion of delegates from all the warring freedom fighters in Niger Delta and all the oil producing areas. This… [Read Full Text]
It is curious that the Nigerian government is seeking to do something about the restless region, but do not seem to appreciate the magnitude of the frustration and the potential implosion of the region and the nation as a result. Wishing that things will be OK in the end will not and has never made them so. The Nigerian government should take bold actions and "DO SOMETHING TANGIBLE" and fast for the impoverished people of the Niger Delter. The era of politics and denials and blame game are long over. The whole world is watching. An independent committe should (if… [Read Full Text]
Of course, every Nigerian knows what the problems of Niger Delter are. We all know that the problems anchor on the insincerity of purpose of the Niger Delter leadership. These set of people are eating fat from the crisis, hence would be opposed to any attempt to have a lasting solution to the problems. They know that their fat bank accounts will shrink and every ordinary citizens' children of the region will have equal opportunity for education, health and other social amenities with their own children if the problem are permanently solved. That's why they will never let it happen… [Read Full Text]
VERY DISGRACEFUL, HEAR NIGERIAN STATES, ASKING IF THERE ARE PROBLEMS IN NIGER DELTA? AND WHAT ARE THE PROBLEMS.
EVERY PERSON IN THE WORLD KNOWS WHAT THE NIGER DELTA PROBLEM IS WORLDWIDE, SNCE THE DAYS OF KEN SARO WIWA. THE SOLUTION IS TO SPEND A FRACTTION OF THE HUGE BILLION DOLLARS OIL PROCEEDS FROM NIGER DELTA, AND 1. CLEAN UP THE ENVIROMENTAL DISASTER 2. BUILD DECENT MODERN LIVING COMMUNITIES FRO THE… [Read Full Text]