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Nigeria: Reps Raise Committee on Niger Delta Crisis
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Vanguard (Lagos)
25 July 2008
Posted to the web 25 July 2008
Tordue Salem
THE House of Representatives is to raise an ad hoc committee on the raging crisis in the Niger Delta.
The Presidency has already shelved its planned "summit" on the region, opting instead for a dialogue after an intense opposition against the Chairman-designate of the summit , Prof. Ibrahim Gambari.
The House resolved to hold a public hearing on the region, following the passage of a motion sponsored by Rep. Andrew Uchendu (PDP Ikwerre-Rivers State) and 96 others.
Rep. Uchendu, who went down the memory lane on unsuccessful dialogues initiated by both colonial and indigenous governments on the problems of the Niger Delta, concluded that what was needed was a position paper by the Presidency on the way forward in the area.
"For some time now, local media, national media and international media have ground-breaking headlines on the crisis in the area. The area that we have found ourselves in has been troubled and its inhabitants neglected.
"Mr. Speaker, I would like to give a historical background to the situation in the area. As far back as 1888, the colonial government at the time called on the international community to give the Niger Delta a special status," he said.
According to him, "from 1957- 1958, King Dapa-Biriye led another delegation to London to seek the special consideration for the Niger Delta," but, he added, the status was not granted the area.
Though the motion was eventually passed, there was no doubt on some mixed feelings on its subject matter.
Rep. Abdul Ningi (PDP Ningi-Bauchi State), though seconded the motion, said "the problems of the Niger Delta are problems of Nigeria."
The former Majority Leader of the House, however, added: "The fact that oil was found in the area mean that the resource belongs to the Niger Delta."
But regretted that some "criminals, some saboteurs, have taken over the struggle of the good people of the Niger Delta," while claiming that "the militants operating there, are mere businessmen. We know them."
Rep. Bala Ibn Na'Allah (PDP Dankowa/Zuru/Sakaba-Kebbi State), said: "There is no sacrifice that is too much to ensure stability in the Niger Delta.
"But we have the responsibility to warn that we had historically, we had OMPADEC, I didn't work, then we set up the NDDC to impact on the lives of the people, but there are still complaints.
"I agree that the people of the Niger Delta are law-abiding, I am personally a witness to that, but let the truth be told no matter whose ox is gored, there have been several kidnaps of foreigners and citizens of this country and huge sums of money including in dollars have been paid as ransom.
So what have they been able to do for their people? Can they show us one primary school they have built from the money they have been getting?" he asked.
He called on government "to immediately address the lawlessness in the area."
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Rep. Nasir Rabe (PDP Katsina), who corroborated Na'Allah, called on the Federal Government to probe the disbursement of huge allocations to Niger Delta states.
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