BEVERLY HILLS, August 03, (THEWILL) – Acting President Yemi Osinbajo on Thursday evening met behind closed doors with members of the Pan Niger Delta Elders Forum (PANDEF).
The meeting started around 7p.m at the Vice President’s conference room. Stakeholders after the meeting withdrew their November 1 ultimatum in which they urged the Federal Government to meet their 16-point agenda or they withdraw from the peace talk.
Speaking to State House Correspondents at the end of the close to five hours meeting, the leader of the group, Edwin Clark, described discussion as “honest, truthful and forthright,” adding that they were “very very satisfied.”
He said: “No more ultimatum. We agreed on many things. They came with their own address; the ministers all spoke, presented their cases and at the end, the Acting President rounded it up. We saw his genuineness and forthrightness; he is a gentleman. We are satisfied. We have agreed to work together and the issue of dialogue must take place.
“The message we are sending back home is that we had the opportunity to meet with Mr Acting President and we discussed our 16-point agenda and government’s 20-point agenda, and we are all satisfied. We all agreed that everyone should maintain peace.”
He denied that the people of Niger Delta were not speaking with one voice, insisting: “We are speaking with one voice.”
On MEND disassociating itself from PANDEF, Clark replied: “MEND was in the meeting. Jomo Gbomo does not exist as a human being, that is a ghost name, fake name. Other organisations were here. I am the leader of the Niger Delta and every leader you can think of, from Cross River to Ondo State, were all here today.”
Minister of Petroleum, Ibe Kachikwu, who also addressed newsmen, said the environment of the meeting was not that of ultimatum, and that the group had pledged its loyalty to the government.
He said: “We discussed how far we have gone with the implementation of the 16-point agenda. Several issues relating to the university, the development of the region, amnesty programme, NDDC operations in the Niger Delta. It was very exhaustive.
“Today’s was environment of peace, calm, friendliness and mutual dialoguing of issues, where we are coming from and most pressing issues that they have.
“There is more consensus; it is not an alarm meeting that we are going to pullout of the negotiations. They did, in fact, pledge their loyalty and their willingness to continue to work with us.
“I didn’t see an environment of ultimatum here.”
Those at the meeting include: Amayanabo of Brass, Alfred Diete-Spiff, Victor Attah, Senator Ndoma Egba, Don Etiebet, Timi Alaibe, Senator Bassey Ewa-Henshaw, Tony Uranta, Hosa Ogunbor, Stella Omu, Godknows Igali, Graham Douglas, ministers of Petroleum, Kachikwu, Niger Delta, Usani Usani and Coordinator of Amnesty Office, among others.
The FG/PANDEF meeting nothwithstanding, a new group, the Coalition of Niger Delta Agitators (CNDA), has issued a fresh set of demands to the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government, warning that failure to adopt full devolution of power and fiscal federalism, they would declare Niger Delta Republic.
The agitators also disowned the PANDEF led by Chief Edwin Clarke.
In a statement signed by their different heads, the agitators said they would work with similar groups in the South-East and South-South to ensure that their objective to actualise the Niger Delta Republic.
Those who signed the statement included General John Duku of the Niger Delta Watchdogs and convener, Coalition of Niger Delta Agitators; General Ekpo Ekpo of Niger Delta Volunteers; General Osarolor Nedam of Niger Delta Warriors and Major-Gen. Henry Okon Etete of Niger Delta Peoples Fighters.
Others were Major-Gen. Asukwo Henshaw of the Bakassi Freedom Fighters; Major-Gen. Ibinabo Horsfall of the Niger Delta Movement for Justice; Major-Gen. Duke Emmanson of Niger Delta Fighters Network; Major-Gen.
THEWILL recalls that PANDEF had recently threatened to pull out of a peace deal with the Federal Government which had helped maintain peace in the Niger-Delta.
The group claimed that the government was not sincere in meeting it’s demands wondering why locals were exempted from the wealth in the oil rich region.
But the presidency in the statement below after the meeting released what it called a fact sheet that outlined the progress made in government’s push for the restive oil region.
“FACT SHEETS ON UPDATE AND PROGRESS MADE IN FG’S NEW VISION FOR NIGER DELTA
As the meeting between the Buhari Presidency and PANDEF on the progress of FG’s new vision on Niger Delta proceeded this evening at the Presidential Villa, here is a brief fact-sheet describing on-going government efforts regarding the oil producing region.
Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, is presiding over the meeting that has in attendance leaders and representatives from the Niger Delta and relevant ministers and heads of MDAs.
1. The Federal Government has started the process of replacing illegal refineries in the region with modular ones, including options on how to involve the communities as shareholders in the proposed Modular Refineries. Ground-breaking of the first set of such refineries are expected in the 4th quarter of the year.
In its operations, FG will supply crude to the local refineries at reasonably considered price, as an incentive to stop the current practice whereby illegal refiners vandalise and steal the crude. Each Niger Delta is expected to host 2 modular refineries each.
2. Similarly, FG has commenced the process for the opening of the Maritime University at Okerenkoko in Gbaramatu Kingdom, Delta state. Already, a 5-man inter-agency committee headed by the Minister of Education is in the final stages for the official opening of the university in the 2017/2018 academic session.
3. FG has released additional N35 billion to step up the Amnesty Programme in the Delta region, which is a specific and significant raise to the 2016 Budgetary allocation to the office. This significant increase is already reflected in the 2017 budget with N70billion allocation.
The Amnesty Office has since paid up all ex-militants backlog of their stipends up to April 2017. School fees for ex-militants studying abroad have been paid up to 80% this July. School fees in Nigeria paid up to 90% this July.
Under the President Muhammadu Buhari administration, the Presidential Amnesty Programme has deployed 1294 beneficiaries in different programmes in different universities across the world. 1230 have graduated; 196 are maritime engineers, 59 pilots, and 120 automobile engineers. It has established partnership with the PRESCOM (Presidential Committee on Small Arms and Light Weapons), UNDP, EU and UNREC to curb the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in the hands of unauthorized persons and groups.
4. To enhance a speedy development and restore peace in the Delta region, FG has revamped the Niger Delta Development Commission to drive the creation of development and infrastructure projects in the region.
5. An initial fund of 1 billion USD has been set aside for the clean-up and environmental remediation of Ogoniland. A sum of USD 200 million will be disbursed yearly for the first five years and work on the project will be conducted in line with international best practices. Already soil and water tests have been done in preparation for the clean-up and 15 technical assistants hired to be part of the work from Ogoniland.
6. To drive infrastructure, the FG has released funds for the continuation of various sections of the East-West Road. As at March 2017, the overall project completion is substantial (Section I – 99.98%, Section II – I – 78.33%, Section II -II – 67.95%, Section III – 99.22%, Section IV – 97.7%) with Sections III and I completed and due for commissioning. The FG plans to construct health centres in the states and communities of the region. On completion, they will be fully equipped to address some of the health needs of rural dwellers.
This project will place the region as one of the most advanced places in Africa for high speed internet access and reliable communication systems.
7. To further encourage infrastructure development, FG, through the Petroleum Ministry is also exploring with the International Oil Companies operating in the Delta region on how to relocate their operational headquarters to their states of operations as different from administrative headquarters, which often has only about 5% of the staff.
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