|
|
advertisement
Niger Delta: 'Nine point Agenda not Solution'
The federal government may have failed in its bid to pacify the people of the Niger Delta despite the nine-point agenda it announced for the development of the area.
But an activist from the Niger Delta area and director of the Sustainable Peace Initiative - Nigeria (SPIN), Damka M. Pueba, said the measure announced by the president falls short of the expectation of the people of the Niger Delta.
Pueba, who spoke to Sunday Independent in Calabar, was of the view that the solution to the problem of the Niger Delta people goes beyond the repair of roads and creation of jobs opportunities.
Besides, she said, the promise made by the federal government should be taken with doubts as it had in the past made policy statements about the improvement of life in the Niger Delta without actualising them.
Her words: "First of all, I would say it is not enough because the problems are enormous. It is beyond repairing the East-West Road, creating employment. Besides, we have heard these things over and again. Until we see those things actually being implemented, I will take whatever they are saying with a pinch of salt."
On the activities of the Movement for Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), which has been engaging the federal government over the state of neglect and poverty in the area, Pueba said the two parties could come to terms if government takes the issue of empowering the Niger Delta people seriously.
She stated that government had to move ahead and make amends in the way it dealt with the Niger Delta situation.
"For me, I always say if government would deal with MEND, if government would tackle MEND, then government has to make AMEND, which is a move to empower the Niger Delta. They have to be one letter ahead," Pueba said.
According to the director of SPIN, what the people of the area wanted was rapid development and elimination of poverty among the people whose land provides the wealth of Nigeria.
She stated that that could be achieved if government jettisoned its alleged lip service approach to issues concerning the area.
Among other issues, President Obasanjo had on Tuesday April 18, 2006 promised to create thousands of jobs for the people as well as construct the East-West Road which government said would cost about N200 billion.
advertisement