….Wants Team to Secure Developmental Strategies for N/D region
The National Coordinator for Centre for Peace and Environmental Justice (CEPEJ), Comrade Sheriff Mulade, has pleaded with the Chief E.K. Clark Dialogue Team and the Federal Government to resist “stomach infrastructure” in discussing issues affecting the Niger Delta region.
The CEPEJ National Coordinator in a press statement in Warri, Delta State, expressed confidence in the dialogue with the Federal Government being led by elder statesman, Chief E.K. Clark, but cautioned against what he described as “stomach infrastructure.”
“We at CEPEJ have trust and confidence in the dialogue team and the Federal Government being led by Chief E.K. Clark. We expect nothing less than honesty and sincerity from the dialogue team. Our expectations are high and they should not be dashed at the end of the day,” he said.
While charging members of the dialogue team to bring the vexed issues of the region before the federal government, the CEPEJ boss said, “This dialogue team should not be business as usual. The dialogue team should bring the vexed issues of the region before the Federal Government and shun the temptation of stomach infrastructure. This team should meet the yearnings and aspirations of the people of the Niger Delta region.”
Comrade Mulade claimed that from all the previous dialogues, starting from the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo to that of late President Musa Yar’adua and that of former President Goodluck Jonathan, there has been no Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) entered into with the Federal Government.
“But this time around there should be an MoU at the end of the day between the Federal Government and the people. The roles of the Federal Government, states, multinational oil companies, NDDC, and Ministry of the Niger Delta Affairs must be spelt out in the MoU. We want to see both the short and long term developmental strategies between the Federal Government and the people of the region,” he said.
He added that, “It is our charge to the Chief Clark dialogue team and the Federal Government to secure developmental strategies for the neglected Niger Delta region from the Federal Government. The team must not negotiate for themselves, but must go out there and negotiate a better deal for our suffering people. There should be no room for stomach infrastructure.”
The dialogue team should make good use of the mass media in carrying the Niger Delta people along, on the process and outcome of its negotiation with the federal government.
