As part of its interventionist efforts towards solving the crisis in the Niger Delta region, the House of Representatives Ad hoc Committee on Niger Delta is set to meet with over 500 militant groups.

Chairman of the yesterday that the Committee would in the first week of May meet with the militant groups among other stakeholders in the region.

"In our schedule, we have over 1000 militant groups in the region but we plan to visit at least half of them as well as other stakeholders during our meeting with people of the area soon.", he said.

Ningi (PDP-Bauchi) said the committee at its meeting had agreed to spend 27 working days in the region with the hope of seeing the problems in the area themselves.

"Our duty there is to look at PTDF, onshore and offshore fields, NDDC, various multinationals operating in the Niger Delta and take a look at their Memorandum of Understanding.

"We are also going to look at environmental degradation, poverty level and ecological funds", he said.

He said the intervention of the House was to complement the efforts of the executive in the region and see how legislation would be used to solve the problems of the area.

"This is the very first time a committee of this nature is coming from National Assembly apart from one set up by the executive and the sectional one being introduced." he added.

Ningi, who is also the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Police Affairs, said the committee had made necessary security arrangements for their visit to the region.

"It is sad that Niger Delta Ad-hoc Committee, which came into being since Oct. 2008, could not go further than receiving memoranda from the public. I think the issue of the region is more serious than the constitutional review which money has been budgeted", he added.

On the amnesty granted to the militant groups in the region, Ningi said the President was right to extend it as the federal government has been blackmailed for a very long time.

"It speaks volume of the President's belief in the rule of law. It shows government's magnanimity. I have been saying it that there is no military solution to the problems in the region, except you get across to them", he stressed.

Ningi said that the President was right in granting the amnesty and should, therefore, be encouraged in the overall interest of peace and stability.

NAN reports that Speaker, Dimeji Bankole in Oct. 2008 created a 25- member ad hoc committee on Niger Delta to find a lasting solution to myriad of problems in the area.

(NAN)