The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has expressed disappointment over the lack of progress in the 16-point agenda it presented to the Federal Government which it said contained the template for resolving the crisis in the region noting that its peaceful disposition should not be misconstrued as weakness.
At its inaugural meeting in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital and attended by the new executive committee of the forum led by the chairman, former military governor of the state, Idongesit Nkanga, the forum maintained its resolve to pursue the realisation of true federalism and the restructuring of the country to ensure equity and fairness among all the units.
Nkanga, who said that if the Federal Government had done what it said it would do after series of meetings and after the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo had visited the region last year, there would have been tremendous development in the region, explained that the forum was irrevocably committed to restructuring and the use of dialogue in resolving all contentious issues.
“I would like to use this opportunity to make a passionate appeal that there must be a new way of searching for peace. For this cause, Isaac Daka Boro died, Ken Saro Wiwa died, Odi was levelled. If you want to operate federalism, you must listen to the voices of the people,’’ he said.
Describing PANDEF as the voice of the Niger Delta region, he said the forum has been working with other recognised groups in the south east, south west and the middle to ensure a peaceful resolution of conflict in the country maintaining that such meetings and dialogue would ensure a paradigm shift in the governance of the country.
He said even when the Vice President had pronounced that International Oil Companies (IOCs) operating in the country should relocate their head offices to the Niger Delta when he visited the region, such directives had not been headed to adding that the relative peace in the region was a result of intervention by PANDEF which he said has resulted in increased oil production and huge revenue to the Federal Government.
“You may have seen responses by our youths. They believe and trust that the elders are doing the right thing. It is that relative peace that we have that has helped to sustain the increase in oil production. By the window of cease fire, the production went up to 2.2 million barrels per day about N83 billion per day that we are giving this country.
“Sadly, with this money you see development in other areas but nothing comes to the Niger Delta. That is why restructuring in important a well as justice to the Niger Delta,” he said.
Nkanga accused the Federal Government of living in denial and suppressing the desires and wishes of many regions of the country saying it has given rise to crisis in almost all parts of the federation.
“We have been living in denial and if you continue to suppress it, it will erupt as it has erupted today. In all the regions something is happening. In every street, we have seen soldiers. We are under siege. In the middle belt, there is a problem, in the south east, they are talking about python dance, in the South South, they are talking about crocodile dance, it therefore, means there is something that is not quite right in the country,’’ he said.
He said the forum would continue to use dialogue as a tool for conflict resolution pointing out that if the country had practised true federalism, the crisis in various parts of the country would not have occurred.
Answering a reporter’s question, he said the amount of money needed to develop the Niger Delta region is five times more than what is needed to develop other parts of the country saying restructuring and fiscal federalism would ensure competitive economy among the federating units in the country and dismay over the continued gas flaring in the country which he said had caused many deaths in the Niger Delta.
ANIEFIOK UDONQUAK, Uyo
