Amnesty Leaders decry slow pace of development in N/Delta
By: Jesse Everly, Yenagoa
Leaders of the third phase of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) in the Niger Delta region have decried the slow pace of development going on in the region after the initiation of the programme by Late President Umaru Musa Yar’ Adua.
Highlighting some of the nagging issues in the region before newsmen in Yenagoa on Monday, September 1st, the Leader of the Third Phase Amnesty, Gen. Ramsey Oyakemeagbegha Mukoro, stressed that it is only the East-West Road that is on course amongst other recommendations for the Niger Delta region as part of the disarmament programme.
Gen. Ramsey Mokoro bitterly expressed dissatisfaction over the way oil companies are operating in the Niger Delta region, adding that they should adhere to internationally accepted best practices or leave the region for enduring peace to return.
He complained of lack of development, functional health facilities, pipe borne water, electricity and functional educational institutions at the community levels; that people in the rural areas do not even benefit from soft loans to support their farm businesses.
Gen. Ramsey disclosed that despite all their efforts to ensure sustainable development for the Nger Delta region, multinational oil companies still cause environmental problems to the communities through gas flaring and oil spills amongst others.
He stated that if the Federal Government wants to uninterrupted flow of oil from the Niger Delta region, they should ensure the development of the communities and clean up the environments which have been impacted by oil spills and also continue with the PAP until all the necessary requirements for communities in the region are met.
He also tasked both Federal and States Governments to ensure that the impact of the 13% oil derivation and the ecological funds are felt in the communities, adding that the Petroleum Industry Bill should be enacted into law without further delay as it will benefit the oil producing communities on a long term.
Gen. Ramsey warned that militancy might return to the creeks if President Jonathan leaves office and their recommendations for the Niger Delta, which made them to drop their arms, are not completed.
He lauded the FG for approving the Third Phase Amnesty Programme. He also added that the tailored slot alloted to them is inadequate, adding that most of their members who wanted to lay down arms and be part of the programme were denied the opportunity.
According to him, they wanted to be part of the programme because of the success stories which emanated from the amnesty office, thanking Dr. Kingsley Kuku for ably steering the PAP.
He advised government at all levels to tackle the issue of unemployment, adding that “what would happen when those trained by the Amnesty office return home and their communities are still not developed and they don’t have jobs to do?”
“The unemployed people are also part of the society, and government should provide for them on monthly basis – a kind of social security scheme; not only those above 75 years,” he stated.
While giving assurance that the Presidential Amnesty Programme will be put to an end someday; he urge the FG to ensure that the programme continues until communities in the Niger Delta region see remarkable improvements, stressing that they are supporting the re-election bid of President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015 for him to complete the unfinished works.
