Escalating violence in the Niger Delta

Now, it has become urgent more than ever before for stakeholders to demonstrate evidence-led measure of honest, fair-minded, supportive, inspiring, dependable and straightforward approaches to solving the problems of the area.

Residents of the area have long been disconnected from their mainstream economy that used to be anchored mainly on agriculture and fishing. For more than 40 years, there has not been any sincere effort made to create alternative economies and employment with the absorptive capacity that could positively engage the productive propensity of the restive youths.

In place of numerous dialogue sessions and peace meetings convened by major stakeholders, vociferous allegations still remain rife among Niger Delta indigenes. All that has been achieved remains conditions, handouts and freebies arising from unrewarding monologues.

Government and the oil majors have also been accused of failing to keep to the spirit and letters of various Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) reports in which the core adverse issues affecting the Niger Delta are explicitly outlined.

In all these, it has remained doubtful if there has been regenerative investments made by the major players in the public and private sectors of the economy to develop the area beyond rhetoric, politically motivated initiatives, and sugar-coated diplomacy.

It should now be clear to all concerned that these old economy approaches and strategies have have failed to deliver the expected results, meaning that change has become not only inevitable, but also much more urgent.

In doing this, however, there is the need to show high-level sincerity, commitment, political will and credibility. This springs from the proven fact of life that people want, and will believe in causes pursued by leaders who are honest, forward-looking, competent and inspiring.

It has also become important to really identify and understand who the true representatives of the people of the Niger Delta are in the current milieu of shylocks and gangsters whose main interest in ferociously pushing the cause of the region that have consumed and maimed many seems to be carefully concealed in their expected financial gains. This is necessary in the effort at properly articulating exactly what the Niger Delta people really want as antidote to the loathsome acts of warfare in a time of peace.

We say no to further blood spilling. We abhor further hostage taking and the brazen demand for ransom slammed on victims of abduction and hostage taking. We vehemently deplore further renewal and escalation of violence in the Niger Delta area as depicted by the recent wanton and atrocious killings and maiming in the city of Port Harcourt.

There is a debate regarding what chance President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua has in the effort at solving the problems of the Niger Delta, especially in the area of security of life and property.

But he remains the chief security officer of the nation with unfettered executive powers to stem the ugly tide that is affecting the fortunes of the nation on domestic and international fronts.

It is in view of this that we demand that all that is necessary must be done now to end the ugly situation in the Niger Delta permanently.