The United State has identified dialogue and practical efforts in the
development of the Niger Delta, as veritable means to resolve the security
and other related challenges of the region.
The Deputy Head of Mission of the United States Embassy in Nigeria,
Ambassador David Young, stated this during a courtesy call on Bayelsa
State Governor, Henry Seriake Dickson in Government House, Yenagoa on
Wednesday.
The Envoy, who is visiting Bayelsa for the first time,,implored the
Federal Government to put in place, measures that would improve the living
conditions of the Niger Delta people.
While calling on all stakeholders to embrace dialogue, as part of the
process of resolving the crisis in the region, Young observed that
successive governments in the country have been making efforts to achieve
the best possible means to deploy the wealth generated from the Niger
Delta to impact on the lives of the people.
According to him, the US government was ready to partner with Nigeria and
Bayelsa state in the area of funding development and economic prosperity,
through a variety of programmes, including agriculture, health, education
and maritime security, without losing focus on transparency and fiscal
responsibility.
Young said, “The US government feels very strongly that all stakeholders
should be engaged in dialogue, as part of the process to arrive at
equitable and fair solution for all involved. We believe that a bit of
challenge for Nigeria, is to transform the region of oil wells (the Niger
Delta) into improvement in the life of the average Deltan. And, that is
something we feel very strongly about.
“We encourage Nigerians to work for common goals as against violence and
criminal activities. We encourage Nigeria to establish conditions and
mechanisms for lasting change over time and provide economic opportunities
and services for Deltans… US provides assistance to the region, through
maritime security training, aviation security, treatment and prevention of
HIV/AIDS, good governance planning, agric system and a number of other
activities. So we want to be your partner.”
In his response, Dickson lamented the level of environmental damage in the
Niger Delta and renewed his call on multinational corporate organisations,
particularly the oil majors to adhere to international standards in their
operations in the region.
While calling for caution on the part of troops, being deployed to the
region, Governor Dickson said that, the solution to the problems of the
Niger Delta lies squarely on development and environmental justice, which
he noted, could only be achieved through meaningful dialogue.
Describing the environment as a critical heritage of any people, the
Governor commended the Federal Government for kick-starting the Ogoniland
Clean-Up Programme and called for its extension to other parts of the
region, stressing that Bayelsa environment remains the most polluted in
the Niger Delta.
According to him, as the place where oil was first struck in commercial
quantity, Bayelsa records an average of three oil pollutions in a day and
requires a special attention from the Federal Government and the
multi-Nationals.
Dickson expressed gratitude to the US envoy and his team for the visit,
and solicited their assistance in the areas of education, infrastructural
development and promotion of peace and stability in the Niger Delta.
His said, “We believe that the issues of the Niger Delta are not such that
can be resolved by means of confrontation or show of military strength. We
believe that these are essentially issues of development; they are issues
about the environment.
“So, we as a government, community leaders, corporate executives
particularly the oil majors that are operating here and the Federal
Government, its agencies and the friends of our country should work
together to resolve the challenges of the Niger Delta.
“These are issues that working together sincerely and following a clear
roadmap, we think can be resolved in such a way that communities will be
prosperous; Government, agencies and businesses within our region will
benefit from the overall climate of stability and security that will be
generated when there is a consensus building effort. That is where we
stand and I believe that has been the position of the US Mission.”
No comments:
Post a Comment