US Decries Pollution, Oil Theft In N’Delta …As Stakeholders Praise US-Nigeria Bi-National Confab

Rivers State Governor, Rt Hon Chibuike Amaechi (right) making an explanation to the American Consul-General, Jeff Hopkins and others at Model Primary School in Elekahia, Port Harcourt.

The United States Government has decried the swelling environmental degradation and oil theft in the Niger Delta, while deploring oil companies for the continuous oil spills and gas flaring in the region.

Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs and Head of US delegation at the ongoing two-day US- Nigeria Bi-national Conference in Port Harcourt, Ms. Cynthia Akuetteh lamented yesterday that if the situation continues, life sustenance in the Niger Delta would be made more difficult in the future.

She remarked that the continuous environmental degradation in the Niger Delta has grim economic implications coupled with the rising oil and marine thefts, which she attributed to low employment levels and educational opportunities.

In her words,” More than 60 per cent of the people in the Delta depend on the natural environment for their livelihoods. Fishing and agriculture still employ approximately half of the Niger Delta’s population. Destruction of the environment through oil spills and gas flaring has made the poorest communities vulnerable”.

Akuetteh called on the authorities to meet the challenge of moving the country and the region to positive directions, stressing that that was one way to attract more foreign support and sustained development.

So far, she disclosed that the US Government has spent $77million in agricultural development and security since 2006.

A breakdown of the funding by the US diplomat indicates that $35 million was spent in providing security equipment, while $42 million was spent in the last two years on ‘Feed the Future’ scheme and to improve food security and livelihood in the Niger Delta.

She, however, assured that the US Government was committed to providing more support to Nigeria and also work with groups towards finding lasting solutions to the country’s challenges, noting that, “ the time is now for Nigeria to take steps to foster lasting peace and development in the Delta.”

Also speaking, Head of Nigeria’s delegation to the conference, Dr. Martin Uhomoibhi, who is also the permanent secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the meeting is the second since the BNC was started in 2010.

He stated that it was aimed at addressing the region’s problems, pointing out that the strategic importance of the Niger Delta cannot be overlooked in national development.

Against this backdrop, he stated that the Federal Government has established the Ministry of Niger Delta, the Niger Delta Development Commission(NDDC) and currently allocates 13 per cent as derivation revenue to oil producing communities, adding that the government has also commenced amnesty programme for militant youths in the region.

Earlier, Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi while thanking the organisers for choosing the state to host the conference, welcomed the delegates from both countries, and assured that the state was poised to ensure that the meeting achieves its aim.

Meanwhile, Stakeholders in the Niger Delta region have expressed optimism that the ongoing two-day bi-national conference between United States of America and Nigeria in Port Harcourt would give birth to huge transformation in the Niger Delta.

The stakeholders barred their minds in a chat with newsmen shortly after the opening session yesterday in Government House, Port Harcourt.

Chairman of the House of Representative Committee on Petroleum Downstream Sector, Hon. Dakuku Peterside described the meeting as unprecedented, saying it would address the burning issues of environmental degradation, amnesty programme and oil theft.

Aside that, Peterside observed that it would deeply drive bilateral relations between the two nations, and noted that the House was seriously concerned on how to put an end to pipeline vandalism.”

Pipeline vandalism impacts on the environment, on the economy and has far reaching effects; it leads to breakdown of law and order,” he said.

Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission(NDDC), Dr. Chris Oboh said the conference would serve as a platform to attract more development in the region, as he hinted that the agency would seek to tap from foreign funds to support its regional master plan scheme.

Dr. Oboh further said,” this is a new road map that is being designed and we are hoping to benefit better and have opened talks with them. Hopefully, they would visit us, and we would also go to the US.”

He, however, solicited for the participation of the private sector in the development of the region, maintaining that government cannot wholly address the challenges in the Niger Delta.

Also speaking, representative of the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta, Mr. Lawrence Pepple was of the opinion that the conference would help in promoting and sustaining the Post-Amnesty Programme.

He was optimistic that the US would support the scheme to ensure lasting peace and security, which according to him, is key to foreign investment in the region.

In another development, the Technical Assistant to the Adviser to the President on Niger Delta, Mr. Lawrence Pepple has hinted of plans to extend the post amnesty programme to cover 30,000 youth in the region.

He said the measure was aimed at absorbing those who were not registered in the first phase from 23,358 to 30,000.” We are adding another 3,000,” Pepple declared. “ We want to make it a round figure of 30,000…and when we finish training them, they should be given opportunities to be accepted back to society.”

Pepple claimed that over 208 of the ex-militants are in universities in the United Kingdom, and urged members of the society to stop stigmatizing them as that would enable them settle to normal lives again.”

If you beat a child with the right hand accept him with the left hand”, he added.