News
Post Amnesty: No To Fresh Attacks
Prominent Niger Delta leaders and civil society activists are agitated. The reason for their unease is the lull in the implementation of the post-amnesty programme for repentant militants. They, like most other Nigerians are worried that three months after the ex-militants in the region surrendered their weapons and embraced peace at the expiration of the October 4, 2009 deadline set by the Federal Government, the amnesty deal appears rooted in the starting bloc.
The general apprehension appears to be fuelled by security reports that the exmilitants, numbering about 15,000 were getting restive and may resume hostilities if things do not change for the better. The Federal Government had promised a post amnesty programme that ought to have taken the militants who surrendered their arms through demobilisation, rehabilitation and re-integration processes to make them useful to themselves and the larger society.
The concerned stakeholders, met recently in Abuja at the National Roundtable for Good Governance organised by the Faculty of The Initiatives, a group of lawmakers in the House of Representatives.
They warned that the continued delay in implementing the post-amnesty programme as captured in the supplementary budget could have serious national security implications because the repentant militants could interpret the inaction to mean that the government had abandoned the amnesty programme, stressing that such perception could trigger off another round of hostilities in the oil- rich region. They observed that though the 2009 Supplementary Appropriation, which primarily targeted specific projects in the post-amnesty agenda has been passed by the National Assembly, it cannot be implemented because President Umaru Musa Yar Adua has not signed it into law.
Things would have been different if the President had properly handed over to his deputy, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, the Vice President, before travelling to Saudi Arabia for medical treatment. That is precisely the grouse of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, which claimed that it attacked a major crude oil delivery pipeline in the creeks of Abonnema, Rivers State on December 19, 2009. MEND said it carried out the attack to protest the prolonged absence of ailing President Yar’Adua from the country, adding that the slow pace of implementation of the postamnesty programme was unacceptable to them.
Although the oil companies have denied that any of their installations was attacked, the news has certainly reminded us all that the nation is sitting on the keg of gunpowder over the Niger Delta crises. Any further dilly-dallying on the post-amnesty deal puts the nation at the risk of returning to the ugly pre-amnesty era Perhaps, to avert this possibility, the Vice President, promptly inaugurated one committee and four sub-committees to fast track the government’s efforts at consolidating the gains of the amnesty process. Dr. Jonathan said that the action was part of the efforts to revive the amnesty programme, which had been slowed down for some time now.
The Minister of Defence and Chairman of the Federal Government Amnesty Committee, Major General Godwin Abbe (rtd), also weighed in to douse the fears that the Federal government was losing control of the situation in the Niger Delta. He said that contrary to insinuations that the amnesty programme has gone awry, the government was on top of the situation.
Obviously, the Defence Minister was only being defensive. His counterpart in the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Chief Ufot Ekaette came out clean to admit that all is not well with the plans to urgently develop the Niger Delta.
In order to consolidate the recent gains, build confidence and prevent a relapse into violence, the President needs to beef up the ongoing process of returning former fighters to the society as productive and responsible citizens. He should also vigorously implement his plans to address the underlying economic and social problems that triggered militancy in the area.
The re-orientation programme should have taken a cue from the Non-Violence Training Scheme initiated by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) in 2008 to assist in reforming the youths who would have resorted to anti-social activities as a result of joblessness.
Then, the commission sponsored 600 militant youths from the Niger Delta for training in non-violence agitation. The training programme was organised by the Foundation for Ethnic Harmony in Nigeria (FEHN), a non-governmental organisation. The youths were trained both in Lagos and South Africa.
In addition to changing the mindset of the youths, it is also important to find a sustainable way of engaging them in a gainful economic activity such as agriculture.
It is common knowledge that over 80 per cent of Niger Deltans were farmers and fishermen before crude oil came into the picture.
It is only logical, therefore, to reactivate the hitherto mainstay of the Niger Delta economy – farming and fishing. This time around, however, it should be with a touch of modernity to take advantage of the new techniques of the computer age. The youths should be encouraged to form cooperatives at the end of their training and should be carefully mentored to eventually stand on their own.
To guard against the resurgence of hostility in the region, the Federal Government should immediately come out with a comprehensive timetable for its post-amnesty plans and follow it up with concrete actions that will convince even the sceptics that the Yar’Adua administration truly means business.
Agbu is editor’s guest.
Ifeatu Agbu
Vice President Kashim Shettima has arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for an official State visit at the invitation of the Prime Minister, Dr. Abiy Ahmed.
Upon arrival yesterday, Shettima was received at the airport by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, Dr. Gedion Timothewos, and other members of the Ethiopian and Nigerian diplomatic corps.
Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Communication, Stanley Nkwocha, revealed this in a statement he signed yesterday, titled: “VP Shettima arrives in Ethiopia for official state visit.”
During the visit, Vice President Shettima will participate in the official launch of Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Programme, a flagship environmental initiative.
The programme designed to combat deforestation, enhance biodiversity, and mitigate the adverse effects of climate change targets the planting of 20 billion tree seedlings over a four-year period.
In line with strengthening bilateral ties in agriculture and industrial development, the Vice President will also embark on a strategic tour of key industrial zones and integrated agricultural facilities across selected regions of Ethiopia.
News
RSG Tasks Farmers On N4bn Agric Loan ….As RAAMP Takes Sensitization Campaign To Four LGs In Rivers
The Rivers State Government has called on the people of the state especially farmers to access the ?4billion agricultural loans made available by the State and domiciled in the Bank of Industry.
This is as the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) of Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), a World Bank project, took its sensitization campaign to Opobo/Nkoro, Andoni, Port Harcourt City and Obio/Akpor local government areas.
The campaign was aimed at enlightening community dwellers and other stakeholders in the various local government areas on the RAAMP project implementation and programme activities.
The Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Maurice Ogolo, said this at Opobo town, Ngo, Port Harcourt City and Rumuodumanya, headquarters of the four local government areas respectively, during the sensitization campaign.
Ogolo said apart from the ?4billion, the government has also made available fertilizers and other farm inputs to farmers in the various local government areas.
The Permanent Secretary who is the Chairman, State Steering Committee for the project, said RAAMP will construct roads that will connect farms to markets to enable farmers and fishermen sell their farms produce and fishes.
He also said rural roads would be constructed to farms and fishing settlements, and warned against any act that will lead to the cancellation of the projects in the four local government areas.
According to him, the World Bank and Federal Government which are the financiers of the programme will not condone such acts like kidnapping, marching ground and other acts inimical to the successful implementation of the projects in their respective areas.
At PHALGA, Ogolo asserted that the city will benefit in the areas of roads and bridge construction.
He noted that RAAMP was thriving in both the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja; Lagos and other states in the country, stressing that the project should also be given the seriousness it deserves in Rivers State.
Speaking at Opobo town, the headquarters of Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area, the project coordinator, RAAMP, Mr.Joshua Kpakol, said the programme would reduce poverty in the state.
According to him, both fishermen and farmers will maximally benefit from the programme.
At Ngo which is the headquarters of Andoni Local Government Area, Kpakol said roads will be constructed to all remote fishing settlements.
He said Rivers State is lucky to be among the states implementing the project, and stressed the need for the people to embrace it.
Meanwhile, Kpakol said at PHALGA that RAAMP is a project that will transform the lives of farmers, traders and other stakeholders in the area.
He urged the stakeholders to spread the information to their various communities.
However, some of the stakeholders at Opobo town complained about the destruction of their farms by bulls allegedly owed by traditional rulers in the area, as well as incessant stealing of their canoes at waterfronts.
At Ngo, Archbishop Elkanah Hanson, founder of El-Shaddai Church, commended the World Bank and the Federal Government for bringing the projects to Andoni.
He stressed the need for the construction of roads to fishing settlements in the area.
Also, a former Commissioner for Agriculture in the state and Okan Ama of Ekede, HRH King Gad Harry, noted that storage facilities have become necessary for a successful agricultural programme.
Harry also stressed the need for the programme to be made sustainable.
In their separate speeches, the administrators of Andoni and Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Areas, pledged their readiness to support the programme.
At Port Harcourt City, the Administrator, Dr Arthur Kalagbor, represented by the Head of Local Government Administration, Port Harcourt City, Mr Clifford Paul, said the city would support the implementation of the programme in the area.
Also, the administrator of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Dr Clifford Ndu Walter, represented by Mr Michael Elenwo, pledged to support the programme in his local government area.
Among dignitaries at the Obio/Akpor stakeholders engagement is the chairman, Rivers State Traditional Rulers Council and paramount ruler of Apara Kingdom, HRM Eze Chike Wodo, amongst others.
John Bibor
President Bola Tinubu has ordered the commencement of personnel audit and skill gap analysis across all cadres of federal civil servants.
The president gave this directive in Abuja, yesterday, while speaking at the International Civil Service Conference, reaffirming his resolve to achieve efficiency and professional service delivery in the civil service.
“I have authorized the comprehensive personnel audit and skill gap analysis across the federal civil service to deepen capacity. I urge all responsible stakeholders to prioritize timely completion of this critical exercise, to begin implementing targeted reforms, to realize the full benefit of a more agile, competent and responsive civil service,” the president announced.
Tinubu further directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), to prioritise data integrity and sovereignty in national interest.
He called for the capture, protection and strategic publication of public sector data in line with the Nigeria Data Protection Act of 2023.
“We must let our data speak for us. We must publish verified data assets within Nigeria and share them internationally recognized as fruitful. This will allow global benchmarking organisation to track our progress in real time and help us strengthen our position on the world stage. This will preserve privacy and uphold data sovereignty,” Tinubu added.
President Tinubu hailed the federal civil service as the “engine” driving his Renewed Hope Agenda, and the vehicle for delivering sustainable national development.
He submitted that the roles of civil servants remain indispensable in modern governance, declaring that in the face of a fast-evolving digital and economic landscape, the civil service must remain agile, future-ready, and results-driven.
“This maiden conference is a bold step toward redefining governance in an era of rapid transformation. An innovative Civil Service ensures we meet today’s needs and overcome tomorrow’s challenges.
“It captures our collective ambition to reimagine and reposition the civil service. In today’s rapid, evolving world of technology, innovation remains critical in ensuring that the civil service is dynamic, digital” the President said.
Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack in her welcome address told the President that his presence and strong words of commendation at the conference has renewed the morale and mandate of public servants across the country.
Walson-Jack described Tinubu as the backbone of driving transformation in the Nigerian civil service, and noted that the takeaways from past study tours undertaken to understudy the civil service in Singapore, the UK and US under her leadership, is already yielding multiplier effects.
Walson-Jack assured Tinubu that her office, in collaboration with reform-minded stakeholders, will not relent in accelerating the implementation of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan, FCSSIP 25.
She affirmed that digitalisation, performance management, and continuous learning remain key pillars in strengthening accountability, transparency, and service delivery across MDAs.
Walson-Jack reaffirmed that the civil service is determined to exceed expectations by embedding a culture of innovation, ethical leadership, and citizen-centred governance in the heart of public administration.