Emma Amaize
5 December 2008
FOREMOST Niger-Delta leader, Chief Edwin Clark says doubts have crept into the minds of Niger-Delta leaders and stakeholders, who supported President Umaru Yar'Adua on the creation of the Ministry of Niger-Delta following the poor allocations of N47.928 billion to the new ministry and N27 billion by the Federal Government in the 2009 budget proposal to the National Assembly.
"The people of Niger-Delta will soon meet on the budget proposal by the Federal Government as it affects Niger -Delta in the 2009 budget", he said yesterday pointing out that the Federal Government should not create a false intent of its intention to develop the Niger-Delta when it was not prepared to do so judging from the provisions for the development of the region.
He said the only way to remedy the bad impression that has been created was for President Umaru Yar'Adua to later present a supplementary budget on the Niger-Delta for consideration to the National Assembly when the economy improves in view of the drop in oil revenue and the global economic recess.
Wondering why the same Federal Government, which voted about N400 billion for security alone in the Niger-Delta in 2008 would vote only N47.928 billion for its development in 2009, he said there was more than meet the eyes on the amount earmarked for Niger-Delta.
His words, "If you voted N79 billion, this year, for the Niger Delta Development Commission and the money has not been utilized, how do you vote N27 billion for the same organization in 2009 and you know the NDDC is being owed over N200 billion for allocation due to the commission by the Federal Government.
So one is asking the question, what we want to do with the NDDC, the NDDC has a master plan for the whole region and not only that, NDDC master plan has been accepted by the Federal Government and money is required to execute it.
And if there is no money to execute it, then, we should not create false intention about the intention of the Federal Government to develop the Niger-Delta, we know very well this is the first time a government in Nigeria has committed itself in one of its seven-point programme to develop the Niger-Delta and we want to see this concretized, provide the money and let it be spent".
"Then, two, we have talked about the establishment of the Niger-Delta Ministry and those who were against it, those who had reservation was on the basis that the Niger-Delta Ministry may not be treated differently from the other Ministries like education, health , environment and so on, but we have defended it because we believe that the creation of the Niger-Delta Ministry is the only answer because now, we will have the direct intervention by the Federal Government, not the NDDC passing through, and they are not representing the Federal Government, so we now have a Minister, who will be talking on behalf of the Niger-Delta, so what we , therefore, want to say is that a Ministry was created during Alhaji Tafawa Balewa time as Prime Minster of Nigeria and the Ministry was Lagos Affairs Ministry, it was that ministry that developed Victoria Island and did other jobs.
"Now Abuja was declared capital for Nigeria, a new ministry was also established to take care of Abuja with a special provision of about one per cent of the total revenue of nation will be used in developing Abuja.
Abuja is only one community , so we expected that the new Niger-Delta Ministry would be tailored in the same form like the one in Abuja and with all the departments and the NDDC being part of it, that is our hope, that it will have education department, every department that is existing in Abuja and so, we expected that at least three per cent of the national revenue should be spent be spent on the Niger-Delta because this is a wider place, not just giving it N50 billion", he said.
"It must be realized", he added, "that the Federal Capital Territory Ministry has at least one per cent of the total Federation Account allocated to it and we expect that a similar provision for the Niger-Delta Ministry, whereby three per cent of the Federation Account will be allocated to it if real development will take place in the Niger-Delta".
Speaking further, Clark queried, "Is the N50 billion for capital development or for setting up the Ministry? If you realized that last year alone, the same Federal Government voted over N400 billion for security in the Niger-Delta, you will ask yourself what was the need if there is peace and development is going on in the Niger-Delta".
On who becomes the Minister of Niger-Delta, Clark said, "I don't care who becomes the Minister provided he is a competent fellow, provided he is intelligent, focused, he is a man with a drive who understands the problem of the Niger-Delta, not just posting anybody from any place, we know it is the prerogative of Mr. President to appoint a Minister so we cannot challenge as to who he will appoint, but, we do hope the person he will appoint is somebody who is knowledgeable about the Niger-Delta".
While commending the 45-man Niger-Delta Technical Committee for a brilliant job done and Mr. President and Vice President for receiving the report, he urged President Yar'Adua to prove practically that his inclusion of Niger-Delta, as one of the seven-point agenda of his government was not a ploy to hoodwink the people.
Chief Clark was particularly pleased with the recommendation of an increase in derivation from the present 13 per cent to 25 per cent and six-month disarming process for militants in the region as well as open trial and negotiated release for the Movement for Emancipation of Niger-Delta leader, Henry Okah.
He, however, said, "I am terribly shocked at the manner the Federal Attorney General master-minded the secret trial of Henry Okah, which I learnt has commenced in Jos.
The Federal Attorney General's over dramatization of their arraignment using State Security agents to mount an unprecedented security around the court leading to the closure of the offices, banks and general disruption of business in the area, as if it is a trial of a group of terrorists demonstrate the Attorney General's bias".
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