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Tag: Niger Delta

  • Niger Delta Ministry sets up work plan to access performance

    The Minister, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs (MNDA) Usani Uguru on yesterday said they have received a draft report for 2017 to 2019 work plan that would guide the activities and programme of the ministry.

    Usani who made this known at the third quarterly meeting with governors of the nine States of the Niger Delta with the Executives of the International Oil and Gas companies in the region said the report by the technical committee would not only help them to know what to do but how they will do it, where they will do it and who will do it.
    Usani said whatever they put in serves as input to the response which the government is given to the demand of the people of the region.
    “People should not wave the work plan aside because there is master plan and action plan but here we say working plan and the intent of this is to establish what to be done, where and by who? Of course the engagement period between 2017 and 2019 so, within these two years we want to access our performance and by the in international oil companies, local oil companies and agencies of development in the region so that we can juxtaposition our performance against the set objectives and set goals. This will enable us to see at a glance what everybody is doing.”
    The Minister said the meeting platform was established in line with the responsibility of the ministry to coordinate development programmes and affairs of the Niger Delta Affairs with all parties carrying out developmental projects while adding that the essence is to see that whatever any party is doing in terms of developing the region, every other party know and that will then be the bases for the formulation for everybody to be sure we eliminate duplication thus waste of resources.
    The special adviser to the president on Niger Delta Affairs, Rtd. Brigadier-General Paul Boroh at the meeting said, part of the strategy is not to focus on the oil and gas but to see how we can begin to diversify things that are put their in the Niger Delta so that it does not revolve just around the oil and gas industry.
    He said the States have huge responsibilities to do things in the States which they exist. “It is a platform for collaboration. We must know the programmes of the states too so that we will not duplicate them.
    The Executive Secretary Nigeria Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB)said, they are trying to develop an industrial park in most of the Niger Delta states with the objectives of providing services and 24/7 gas fire electricity in the region.
    “This is to help manufacturers come and set up their concerns and bring down their cost of manufacturing in doing business. That is what we are doing currently in a place like Imo and the Ondo States.
    We are discussing with oil industries to partner with us. We are also not limited to the Niger Delta alone because we are for the whole country. We are intervening in the North East with reconstruction programme to see what we can do for people to be engaged.
    If we can get it to the next level by really analyzing all the developmental effort of the different agencies midwives by the Federal Government I think we will come out with a different narrative in terms of all the effort this present administration is doing to uplift the lives of the people in the Niger Delta.”

  • 45 ex-Niger Delta militants graduate from two universities in Belarus

    …as 3 clinch first class

    No fewer than 45 student delegates of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, in the course of the week, graduated from two universities in Belarus.

    Three of them clinched first class honors in Information Technology from the Belarusian State University of Informatics and Radioelectronics.

    While a total of 29 majored in various fields from the Belarusian State University of Informatics and Radioelectronics, 16 others trained in related areas at Brest State University, Belarus.

    The graduation ceremony in Minsk was well attended by envoys from various countries with a Nigerian delegation from the office of the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme.

    The First Vice Rector of Belarusian State University of Informatics and Radioelectronics Dr Siarhei Dzit, in his speech, commended all the graduates for their resilience and expressed hope that they will apply the knowledge gained in advancing society.

    He said: “As one of the best international school in Information Technology, we are known to produce graduates with the requisite technical knowledge to meet contemporary challenges in the industry. I am optimistic that these graduates can firmly take their place in world class firms to exhibit their professionalism”.

    In a congratulatory message to the graduating students, the SA on Niger Delta, Brig.-Gen. Paul Boroh, commended them for outstanding performance and urged them to “exude the highest level of competence and excellence in chosen area of vocation”.

    He urged the graduates to put to gainful use the skills they now possess to place Nigeria on the map in Information Technology and other advanced technical areas.

    The presidential adviser emphasised the resolve of the Buhari administration “to create opportunities in the region” and noted that as internationally certified technicians in specialised fields, the new graduates are better positioned to be part of government new projects in the Niger Delta.

    He encouraged them to take advantage of current efforts by government to involve Niger Deltans in oil production through the establishment of modular refineries, community pipeline surveillance and massive job opportunities in railway projects across the region.

    A representative of the delegates and first class awardee, Christopher Okorie, expressed appreciation and thanked the Federal Government and the Amnesty office for the unique opportunity given them to study in one of the best Universities.

     

  • Political elites responsible for Biafra, N’Delta, Arewa agitations – Osinbajo

    Political elites responsible for Biafra, N’Delta, Arewa agitations – Osinbajo

    The Acting President Yemi Osinbajo on Sunday attributed the current ethnic and regional tensions in the country to the handiwork of some political elites.

    Osinbajo made this known at a meeting of regional youth leaders organised by the Office of the Special Assistant to the President on Youth and Student Affairs at the NICON Transcorp, Abuja.

    The acting President, who was represented by Babafemi Ojudu, the Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, urged the youth to shun such questionable personalities in the interest of peace and progress of the country.

    He noted with concern that the elites were only using the youth to score cheap political goals.

    He, therefore, advised the young people to shun any act capable of polarising the country along ethnic, sectional and religious lines.

    “It will be worst for us if we allow some selfish people to push us to unnecessary war. Nigeria holds a lot of promises for all of us.

    “I know and we all know that a lot of you have been excluded from the good things of this country and of course we can trace that to poor and bad governance over the years.

    “But again, what we should be clamouring for is good governance, not separatism, not secession.

    “This is all about elite competition. The youth are only being used as tools to promote socio-political disorder.

    “Only God knows how much some elites, who hid behind the curtains, paid those, who made that declaration in Kaduna.

    “Okay, if I don’t want to be importing things from Singapore, I can use this idea of Biafra to make money and some people are making huge money from it.

    “Those, who were agitating and calling for Biafra before, are now singing another tune after building their palaces,” he said.

    He frowned at the hate speeches and divisive comments resonating across the country, stressing that the situation required urgent attention from all concerned, especially the youth groups in the country.

    He, therefore, urged them to raise their voices against such speeches, saying no country could develop under an atmosphere of social discontent.

    He also called on the youth to come up with “better ideas, better organization’’ rather than engaging in unnecessary antagonism or spreading fake news through the social media.

    In his remark, the Senate leader, Ahmad Lawan, reassured that the National Assembly would continue to provide an atmosphere conducive for the youth to thrive in the country.

    According to him, the youth have strong contributions to make in making Nigeria better.

    “But we also believe that we must enable them, we must provide them the opportunity to realize their dreams and aspirations.

    “This situation that we have found ourselves in, where youth from different parts of the country make hate speeches, is not helpful for the country and is not helpful to the youth.

    “You need to come together and you will find us as good, useful partners.

    “I want to promise that we will not be found wanting in the discharge of our responsibilities.

    “Once your requests are brought to us for legislation we will not hesitate to support them so as to make you better citizens,’’ he said.

    Nasiru Adhama, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Youth and Student Affairs, explained that the meeting was part of ongoing consultations with youth leaders with a view to finding lasting solutions to youth agitations in the country.

    He stated that the meeting is also meant to address the problems of hate speeches and ethnic tensions emanating from some quarters.

    Adhama revealed that a more expanded meeting of youths from all states of the federation would soon be convened by his office to address the challenges facing the youth in the country.

    (NAN)

     

  • Nigeria: 2014 National Conference and Niger Delta Exit From Bondage

    By Godini G. Darah

    Former President Goodluck Jonathan’s initiative in convening the 2014 National Conference has entered the annals of Nigerian and African history as the bravest and most audacious political intervention for the redemption and liberation of Nigeria. As one of the delegates at the conference, I share the popular disappointment that the convener did not proceed to implement some of the critical policy recommendations before the convulsions of the 2015 general elections derailed the revolutionary trajectory that the confab heralded for our country.

    Notwithstanding this temporary deferment, all the minorities and pro-federalism advocates in Nigeria are convinced that our country will never be free, sovereign, and developed unless and until the confab recommendations are implemented.

    Against the background of this insurgent optimism, I wish to say that the forces that are impeding the actualisation of the promises of the confab will be eventually defeated and overcome. For the people of the Niger Delta region on which Nigeria depends for economic sustenance and political stability, the confab symbolises and memorialises the emancipatory dream embodied in Comrade Jasper Isaac Adaka Boro’s proclamation of the Niger Delta Republic on February 23, 1966. That proclamation serves as a preamble to my highlights of fundamental recommendations of the confab. This is what Boro said at that historic moment:

    “Today is a great day, not only in your lives, but also in the history of the Niger Delta. Perhaps it will be the greatest day for a very long time. This is not because we are going to bring heaven down, but because we are going to demonstrate to the world what and how we feel about oppression. Before today we were branded robbers, bandits, terrorists, or gangsters, but after today, we shall be heroes of our land.”

    The 2014 National Conference in Abuja was the 17th to be held in Nigeria since the 1914 amalgamation. A total of 492 delegates attended; they represented geo-political zones, states, national institutions, professional bodies, and diverse interest groups. The Chairman of the confab was Justice Idris Legbo Kutigi, a former Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. His deputy was Professor Bolaji Akinyemi and the Secretary was Dr. (Mrs) Valerie Azinge. The conference sat from March to August, 2014. Twenty committees were set up to deal with specific themes and issues. The reports of the committees were debated at plenary sessions to arrive at decisions through consensus without voting or dividing the house. About 600 resolutions and recommendations were made and classified into subject areas, with action plans attached to each. The report of the conference was submitted in 20 volumes.

    To appreciate Jonathan’s conviction about the confab as an excellent opportunity to redeem Nigeria, let me recall a paragraph of his inauguration address focusing on some of the fundamental issues for deliberation: “… the issues range from form of government, structures of government, devolution of powers, revenue sharing, resource control, state creation, state police and fiscal federalism, to indigeneship, gender equality, and children’s rights… ”

    This tone of patriotism and objectivity inspired the deliberations of the conference. All through the six months of stormy sessions, robust exchanges and ideological and regional clashes, the then President never attempted to influence, tele-guide, or manipulate the delegates. Even when occasions warranted contact with the presidency for clarification on some knotty matters, he never entertained the requests. The government’s stance of neutrality and respect for the delegates’ autonomy and integrity encouraged everyone to work hard to avert premature failure in order to arrive at consensus on traditionally divisive and explosive matters.

    It is important to enter a caveat here before proceeding to some details. The Hausa-Fulani hegemonic elite in Nigeria never wanted the conference convoked at all. When this ploy failed, their members came to the conference poised to sabotage it as they did in 2005 when President Olusegun Obasanjo called the National Political Reform Conference. In the first four weeks of the Abuja Confab, there was a sudden outbreak of violent clashes between nomadic Fulani herdsmen and communities in the Middle Belt States, resulting in deaths and destruction. Almost on a daily basis “Northern” delegates orchestrated legislative gambits such as “point of order”, “information”, “a matter of urgent national importance”. There were calls on President Jonathan to declare a state of emergency in the affected areas. All of these dramas were scripted, rehearsed, and acted to achieve one aim: that Jonathan was an incompetent President and was, therefore, not politically and morally qualified to convoke a national conference. The Southern delegates deftly subdued these pressures and the conference continued, thanks largely to the tolerance, ingenuity, and integrity credit of the Chairman, Justice Kutugi.

    It should be noted that in all these schemes of subversive subterfuge, the majority of delegates from the core Hausa-Fulani states acted in concert and unison: Generals, Muslims, Malams, Christians, Pastors, Emirs, Traditional Rulers, Ambassadors, Technocrats, Feudalists, Bourgeoisie, Capitalists, Marxists, radicals, human rights activists, and all generations and classes of professionals closed ranks in defence of “Northern interests”. On the part of the pro-federalism groups, there were regular caucus meetings of delegates from the North-Central, South-East, South-South, and South-West to reach accords on how to counter the antics and strategies of the anti-federal, pro-status quo delegates in the conference.

    In the final weeks of the conference, vile and divisive propaganda was mounted by the pro-status quo groups aimed at discrediting the fundamental resolutions arrived at by consensus. Sensational and blatantly false headlines were employed to mislead the general public about the outcome of the confab. But the Confab Report was submitted to President Jonathan at a closing ceremony in August. The Report was discussed and approved by the Federal Executive Council for implementation. We can now attempt a digest of some recommendations that touch the heart of the national question and federalism in Nigeria.

    Devolution of powers and federating units:

    In the prevailing arrangement, the central or federal government in Abuja relates to the states and local councils as colonised, impoverished and appendages. This is in contradiction to the timeless tenet of a federal system in which the centre and states exist as co-equals and coordinates. The 1999 Constitution undermines this federal principle because it was a military document imposed on the Nigerian people. For example, the Abuja government treat the local governments in the country as separate tier of government in violation of Section 7 that stipulates that local governments are strictly affairs of States. That is why the 774 local governments take part in the monthly sharing of public revenue husbanded in the Federation Account.

    The confab corrected this anomaly by affirming that there shall be only two tiers of government as federating units, namely, the federal or central government and the states. The local governments shall not constitute a tier of government as is currently the case by default. Therefore, the names of the 774 local government areas shall be removed from the First Schedule, Part 1 of the 1999 Constitution. The wrong listing of the local government areas according to states makes it impossible for any state to create new ones or merge some if necessary. Fiscal federalism is enhanced by the decision of the confab in that local governments shall no longer participate in the sharing of public revenue. This is, indeed, congruent with the spirit and letter of Section 7 of the 1999 Constitution as shown below:

    “The system of local government by democratically elected local councils is under this Constitution guaranteed; and accordingly the Government of every State shall … ensure existence under a Law which provides for the establishment, structure, composition, finance and functions of such councils.”

    By this affirming Section 7 of the Constitution, which has been violated since 1999, states such as Kano with 44 local government areas shall now be required to provide for their funding with revenue generated by the state. Similarly, short-changed states such as Lagos with about the same population as Kano but with only 20 local government areas shall be free to create more, reorganise and adjust the number to suit their peculiar situations. Bayelsa with the least number of local governments (eight in all) can exercise its federal autonomy to create more for its water-logged and neglected territories.

    During military dictatorship, local governments were arbitrarily created to favour revenue-famished states in the North to the detriment of resource-rich ones in the South. Kano State illustrates the sinister design. Kano and Jigawa were once one state like Rivers and Bayelsa. When Jigawa was created out of Kano, Kano State still retained its 44 local government areas while Jigawa was allotted 27. The two states now have a total of 71 local governments. In contrast Rivers and Bayelsa with population about the same as Kano and Jigawa have 23 and 8 local governments respectively, making a total of 31, less than half the total for Kano and Jigawa. With the progressive recommendation of the confab on the matter, this injustice shall stop.

    Fiscal federalism and revenue sharing:

    The most oppressive and unjust aspects of the military-imposed 1999 Constitution pertain to the provisions for revenue sharing between the central government and the federating units. In the three decades of military rule, as I have observed above, policies were introduced for distributing public revenue in favour of the revenue-poor states and local governments in the 19 states in the North.

    There is also the unfair allocation arrangement that gives 52 per cent of public revenue to the central government in Abuja, with the states and local governments having 26 per cent and 22 per cent respectively. The confab made considerable gain by reducing the proportion of the centre from 52 per cent to 42 per cent. With removal of the local governments as tiers of the federation, states shall now be entitled to 58 per cent of the share of the Federation Account. This is a substantial improvement on the existing situation as it can insulate states from the financial epidemic of insolvency that is partly responsible for the inability of many to pay workers regularly and fund the provision of basic facilities and welfare schemes.

    Even marginal as it appears, the Confab’s position on this matter will bring immense relief to Lagos and oil-rich states in the Niger Delta that are now saddled with the awesome burden of funding the economy and survival of the country. For several decades now, only 10 of the 36 states have been contributing the revenues for running the country. These exploited states are, in alphabetical order: Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Imo, Lagos, Ondo, and Rivers. All the other states, including the Federal Capital Territory of Abuja, contribute next to zero to the Federation Account, yet they partake in the monthly sharing of public revenue. With the increase of the share of states to 58 per cent and the removal of local governments as a tier of the federation, the overburdened states will now be able to retain a substantial portion of the revenues generated in their areas. In the First Republic, the regions, now states, received 50% of public revenues derived from them.

    Another noteworthy change in support of fiscal federalism was the decision the confab took on Item 39 of the Exclusive Legislative List containing 68 matters on which only the federal government can legislate. Item 39 deals with “Mines and minerals, including oil fields, oil mining, geological surveys and natural gas.” Debates on this item were so fractious and bellicose that they nearly aborted the conference. Characteristically, many “northern” delegates opposed any amendment to the phrasing of the item, but the “North” had accomplices from some southern states. In the end, it was resolved to amend Item 39 in a manner that leaves it technically in the Exclusive Legislative List as follows:

    “Mines and all minerals, including oil fields, oil mining, geological surveys and natural gas, provided that (a) the governments of states where mining activities take place shall be involved in matters relating thereto, (b) the government of the federation shall make special grants to develop mines and minerals in states where such resources are underdeveloped.”

    To assuage the fears of states about a sudden drop in revenue, the Conference approved the setting up of a Solid Minerals Development Fund of five per cent (5%) of federal annual budget to jump-start the exploitation of currently undeveloped mineral resources.

    To further break down the resistance against fiscal federalism, delegates from the South-East, South-South, and South-West devised strategies to convince the opponents of federalism that they had more mineral resources in their states than are in the entire southern Nigeria. We obtained from the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development the list of all 42 commercially viable solid minerals in the country. The list was circulated to all delegates. The list revealed that each of the two adjacent states of Taraba and Plateau has about 25 solid minerals.

    Besides diamond and gold, the two states have reserves of uranium, a strategic mineral for atomic energy. It is instructive to note that the number of solid minerals in Taraba and Plateau states is higher than that in the whole of the continent of Asia that includes the Arab nations of the Middle East, China, India, Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, and Bangladesh. From the list we identified ten of the most abundant and ubiquitous solid minerals and they are indicated hereunder according to the number of states in which each mineral abounds:

    Clay (16 states); Kaolin (15 states); Limestone (15 states); Granite (12 states); Salt (12 states); Marble (11 states); Gold (10 states); Byrite (9 states); Coal (8 states); and Bitumen (5 states).

    It should be further noted that the bitumen deposit in the states of Ondo, Edo, and Lagos discovered since 1913 is second in volume to that of Venezuela in South America. Yet Nigeria continues to import bitumen products for road construction. It was clear to all delegates that with the lavish endowment in mineral resources Nigeria had no excuse whatsoever to concentrate only on the exploitation of crude oil and natural gas that destroys communities and the environment.

    There is another element of interest in the Exclusive Legislative List in the Second Schedule, Part 1 of the 1999 Constitution. Ten of the 68 items are fundamental for the practice of an equitable federal system. Among them are taxation, ports, railways, insurance, and incorporation and registration of corporate bodies. The confab was able to reduce the items for exclusive federal legislation to 10, leaving 58 for concurrent law making by the central and state governments. This drastic reduction in the number of matters exclusive to the central government will enhance the practice of federalism in the country.

    Derivation clause in the 1999 constitution:

    The conference was unable to resolve the vexed issue of the imperative need to increase the derivation quantum of “not less than thirteen per cent” as stated in Section 162 (2) of the 1999 Constitution. The demand of the oil-rich states and Lagos with two ports and huge revenues from Value Added Tax (VAT) was for 50 per cent benchmark as it was in the 1960 and 1963 Constitutions. Debates at committee and plenary sessions were always stalemated. It was finally resolved to ask the President to empanel experts to handle the matter for consideration and deliberation by the National Assembly by way of an executive bill.

    It is regrettable that the conference was unable to recommend the amendment of Section 44 (3) of the Constitution that vests ownership and management of oil and gas resources in the Federal Government. This Section constitutes the biggest obstacle to the existence of federalism in Nigeria because it dispossesses the oil and gas states of their prime sources of wealth. It is this iniquitous and apartheid legislation that has made the Niger Delta states economic colonies and vassals of the central government of Nigeria for about forty years now. Unless and until Section 44 (3) is abrogated, Nigeria will remain only a nominal and caricature federation. The Section is reproduced hereunder to guide those involved in the titanic struggle to restructure Nigeria and restore a genuine and equitable federal system: “… the entire property in and control of all mineral oils and natural gas in, under, or upon the territorial waters and the Exclusive Economic Zone shall vest in the government of the Federation and shall be managed in a such a manner as may be prescribed by the National Assembly.”

    State and multiple policing systems:

    One index that qualifies Nigeria to be grouped by political scientists among “failed states” is the inability of the government to provide security for the citizens as enshrined in Section 14 (2b) of the 1999 Constitution as follows: “the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government”. All Nigerian governments from the military regime in 1966 have breached this constitutional mandate. The current state of insecurity and anarchy in the country represented by insurgent movements, violent crimes, felonies, and wanton abuse of fundamental human rights is symptomatic of the dysfunctional and unjust political order being operated.

    The military dictators that destroyed and liquidated the federal system made the central government to have monopoly control of police and security responsibilities throughout the country. From the time a federal system was introduced in the 1940s, the regional governments operated their own police formations. There was also the Nigeria Police Force run by the government at the centre. The two systems complemented each other, resulting in more operational efficiency. The abolition of this federalist principle has aggravated the situation of general insecurity across the country. Thus today, Nigeria with a population of over 170 million has about 400,000 police personnel for the entire country, less than the number required to secure a single state such as Lagos or Kano.

    To alleviate the resultant crisis of subversive acts such as Boko Haram insurgency, armed robbery, kidnapping, murder, and uncontrollable damage to public utilities, the conference approved the existence of multiple police establishments by states, local governments, and municipalities and cities, and special areas. This is the practice in all major federations such as the United Kingdom, United States of America, Canada, India, Germany, Switzerland, and Australia. For example, in the City of London alone, there are several police formations in operation. The safety and security we admire in those countries is due to this democratised system of protection and security of life and property.

    Restructuring Nigeria through creation of new states:

    The conference resolved to decentralise and devolve power as widely as possible in order to bring responsible and accountable governance to the grassroots levels. The removal of local government areas as a tier of government was the initial step taken in support of this imperative. The conference overcame diversionary and irrelevant arguments such as economic viability of states, inability of some of the current 36 states to meet their routine obligations, as well as the fear of having too many administrative units that could bloat bureaucracies and compound fiscal insolvency. The genuine anxiety about having a high number of states was allayed squarely with the superior view that Nigeria’s cultural and linguistic complexity and diversity warrant the expansion of democratic space to enable every territorial unit and population cluster to be as self-governing as possible.

    In the light of these preambles, the conference recommended the creation of additional 18 (eighteen states) to bring the total to 54, a figure comparable to the 51 in the United States of America with similar feature of diversity. There are about 511 languages spoken in Nigeria and 311 in the United States of America.

    The primary criterion used to determine the number and location of the new states was that of equity and equality among the six geo-political zones of the country. The prevailing unbalanced arrangement shows that the North-western zone has seven (7) states while the others have six (6) each, with the exception of the South-East zone with five (5). It was also agreed that there is no scientific basis for making all states equal in size and population. In the United States there are states such as Alaska, Honolulu, and Rhodes Island that are micro when compared with California or Texas. Similarly, there are some mega states in India with population figures larger than Nigeria’s of 170 million. It was further agreed that there was an urgent need to create new states from the ones with multiple ethnic groups and languages.

    The glaring examples are Adamawa with 80 languages, the highest number of tongues spoken in a single administrative Nigeria unit in Nigeria, nay Africa. Other multi-lingual States in Nigeria are Plateau, Taraba, Kogi, Benue, Bauchi, Gombe, Borno, Kaduna, Niger, Kogi, Kebbi, and Cross River.

    For zonal equity and balance, it was decided to create one additional state for the South-East Zone, which has just five now. In the North-West zone, only two new states shall be added. When this is done, all the six geopolitical zones of the country shall have nine (9) states each. The zone-by-zone distribution of the recommended 18 new states is as follows:

    North-Central Zone: Apa State from the present Benue State; Edu State from the present Niger State. The area envisaged for the Edu State is made up of about 25 ethnic groups who are currently marginalised and under-represented; and Gurara State from the present Kaduna State. Gurara is to cover all of Southern Kaduna that has experienced cultural and religious intolerance leading to cycles of violence and deaths.

    North-East Zone: Katagun State from the present Bauchi State. Bauchi is another polyglot of ethnic groups. In the capital city of Bauchi alone, there are close to 10 ethnic groups and languages; Amana State from the present Adamawa State (Amana State is to expand democratic and cultural space for the long-oppressed areas such as Chibok, a Christian stronghold where schoolchildren were abducted by Boko Haram terrorists in 2014); and Savannah State from the present Borno State (Savannah State territory comprises mostly minority ethnic groups different from the Kanuri, the majority ethnic group that will remain in the old Borno State after the creation exercise).

    North-West Zone: Kainji State from the present Kebbi State; and Ghari State from the present Kano State. South-East Zone: Etiti State from the present South-East Zone. The territory is to be mutually decided by the entire zone; Aba State from the present Abia State; Adada State from the present Enugu State; and Njaba-Anim State from the present Anambra and Imo states.

    South-South Zone: Anioma State from the present Delta State; Ogoja State from the present Cross River State; and Oil Rivers State from the present Rivers State.

    South-West Zone: Ijebu State from the present Ogun State; Ose State from the present Ondo State; and New Oyo State from the present Oyo State.

    The processes to be followed in creating a new state are spelt out in Section 8 of the 1999 Constitution. The processes culminate in a referendum to determine the opinion of the people of the area that needs a new state. All the steps listed in Section 8 can be concluded in a few months. The only difficult one is Section 8 (1c), which stipulates that “the result of the referendum is then approved by a simple majority of the Houses of Assembly”. This legal hurdle can be surmounted through amendment by the National Assembly in order to facilitate the creation of the new states to enhance restructuring and federalism in Nigeria.

    In his handover process, President Jonathan specifically enjoined his successor, President Muhammadu Buhari to diligently implement the approved report of the National Conference in order to promote good governance, rapid economic development, security and stability in Nigeria. I would like to add by affirming that President Buhari’s administration can only ignore the report of the conference at its own peril. In any case, judging from the current mood in the country, there is hope that even if President Buhari demurs in the implementation of the confab report, the Nigerian people will restructure the country by whatever means necessary.

     

    Professor Darah teaches at Delta State University, Abraka

     

  • Quit Notice Saga: Return our oil blocs, Niger Delta militant groups tell Northerners

    Quit Notice Saga: Return our oil blocs, Niger Delta militant groups tell Northerners

    Sequel to the eviction notice issued to the Igbos by some Northern groups, a coalition of some Niger Delta groups have retaliated by demanding for a return of all oil blocs controlled by prominent leaders and businessmen in the region.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that prominent Northern youth associations on Tuesday after a joint meeting tagged ‘Kaduna Declaration’ issued a serious threat to Igbos residing in the region to vacate on or before October 1 (Nigeria’s Independence Day) 2017 or face physical attacks.

    The Niger Delta Watchdogs, Niger Delta Volunteers, Niger Delta Peoples Fighters, Niger Delta Warriors, Bakassi Freedom Fighters, Niger Delta Movement for Justice, Niger Delta Fighters Network and Niger Delta Freedom Mandate, said in a joint statement on Friday, that they also intend to declare an independent Niger Delta on October 1, with a view to freeing their people from what they called northern enslavement.

    The communiqué was signed by ‘General’ John Duku (Niger Delta Watchdogs and Convener: Coalition of Niger Delta Agitators), ‘General’ Ekpo Ekpo (Niger Delta Volunteers), ‘General’ Osarolor Nedam (Niger Delta Warriors), and ‘Major-Gen.’ Henry Okon Etete (Niger Delta Peoples Fighters).

    Others are ‘Major-Gen.’ Asukwo Henshaw (Bakassi Freedom Fighters), ‘Major-Gen.’ Ibinabo Horsfall (Niger Delta Movement for Justice), ‘Major-Gen.’ Duke Emmanson (Niger Delta Fighters Network), and ‘Major-Gen.’ Inibeghe Adams (Niger Delta Freedom Mandate).

    They warned all the companies operating such oil blocs to quit within three months.

    “A coalition of the Niger Delta militants met today in Port Harcourt to review the recent call by the Arewa Youths groups that the Ndigbo should vacate all the Northern states within three months.

    “We see the declaration by Arewa Youths as a declaration which the northern elders, leaders, political elite, security heads from the North and governors were fully aware of.

    “We demand 100 per cent control of our resources. We demand that the Federal Government should hand over all oil blocs owned by northerners to Niger Delta indigenes. All the companies operating in such oil blocs/wells should vacate within three months.

    “The Federal Government should immediately relocate NNPC and all the offices that have to do with oil/gas sector back to Niger Delta states and immediately replace the Group Managing Director with an indigene of Niger Delta.

    “All northern indigenes working in NNPC and any other board that has anything to do with oil/gas should be sacked with immediate effect.

    “We demand an independent and sovereign Republic of Niger Delta. We are tired of living with the North under Nigeria. We are tired of the President’s sentiments against the Niger Delta people.

    “The President can have time to receive the Chibok girls but could not have time to meet with the representatives of the Niger Delta agitators. Our money has been used to fund Boko Haram, a problem created by the Northerners in order to use it as conduit pipe to siphon the resources of Niger Delta.

    “On October 1, 2017 we shall declare our independence come rain, come shine. We shall take our destiny in our hands and free ourselves from the slavery of the North as they are tired of one Nigeria,” the statement read.

  • Again, Niger Delta joins secession agitation, declares Rondel Republic

    Again, Niger Delta joins secession agitation, declares Rondel Republic

    Following the quit notice issued to Igbos in the North by the coalition of various eminent group in the region, a new group from the Niger Delta, known as Rondel Solidarity Movement has also made known its intention to secede from Nigeria to form its own republic, Rondel Republic in 2018.

    In a statement issued on Wednesday by its spokesman, Efe Edet-Tamuno and made available to TheNewsGuru.com, the group said its demands are made on a non-violent struggle.

    The group noted that the North had for long claim ‘ownership’ of Nigeria and they (the group) can’t continue leaving in ‘another man’s land’, hence, the reason for demanding ‘Rondel Republic’.

    “We, people of the Region of the Niger Delta (Rondel), represented by members of Rondel Solidarity Movement (RSM) – a newly born aggressive but non-violent umbrella body for all intellectuals, groups and associations in the Niger Delta Region, having lived together in the past as a loose federation under the Benin Empire and the great Ijaw and other kingdoms, desirous of searching for our own country since northerners in Nigeria have decided to evacuate southerners from ‘their Nigeria’ – we today, 07.06.2017 wish to announce the fusion of our various groups into one strong and united non self seeking group to champion our developmental causes and help build our region into a nation of justice, freedom, peace and prosperity.

    We have, after over 6 hours of a well attended meeting held at a secret location in Rivers State, met and made Resolutions which will be remembered as The Rondel Covenant,” the statement reads in part.

    The group faulted the reaction of the Federal Government and security agencies saying none till this moment has been arrested despite the deviance shown by the northern coalition. It also berated President Muhammadu Buhari for referring to the people from the region (South South) as only contributing five percent of total votes cast in the 2015 elections that produced him as Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria

    “The Resolutions are in response to the threat by lazy and ignorant Arewa Youths to divide and destroy Nigeria (disguising as evicting the Igbos – an injury to any Southerner is an injury to all Southerners – the days of divide and conquer has ended) and noting the obvious foot dragging of the Nigerian government over this issue with no one arrested, tried or jailed despite the fact that the treasonable felons are well known and they are all not hiding whereas a certain Nnamdi Kanu of Biafra was incarcerated for over two years for daring to discuss Biafra and a certain Kola Edokpayi of Rondel is currently incarcerated for daring to challenge the government in Edo State.

    Following the treasonable ultimatum issued by the Arewa Youths with tacit backing of the Arewa Consultative Forum and Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs led by Sultan of Sokoto either of who has not openly condemned the felons and call for their incarceration like they would do when the table turned, and being fed up of being described by the President of Nigeria as 5% undeserving of the benefits of Nigeria, thus desirous to found our own country where we will be treated as citizens with full rights, not some species with 5% rights,” the group said.

    The group therefore declares as follows:

    1. That all the intellectuals, groups and associations in the Niger Delta should fuse into Rondel Solidarity Movement and our demands shift from Resource Control to Independence Movement

    2. That in our country, we shall return power to the true owners of the lands, the monarchs, in English-style power sharing between the Royals and the people in a Parliamentary system.

    3. That we demand Independence for Rondel from Nigeria from 2018.

    4. That Rondel comprises all the six states in the present South-South of Nigeria.

    5. That Rondel is an acronym derived from the Region of Niger Delta, later Republic of Niger Delta, if the Arewa groups make good their threats.

    6. That Rondel is our name, Rondish will be our Language and Rondland shall be our capital city. Details of these, including the locations of Rondland, shall be in our October 1 book.

    7. That no inch of Rondel in the six states of Akwa-Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, Cross River, Edo, and Rivers States shall ever be ceded to any other people or nation for any reason whatsoever and all those people drawing maps up and down are hereby warned to desist forthwith or risk our disproportionate vengeance including present and future social and economic sanctions.

    8. That our motivations for decision to leave Nigeria are first President Buhari’s treatment of our people as 5%, Northerner’s nearly exclusive illegal and immoral occupation of our oil wells destroying our ecosystems and the eviction notice by Arewa Youths with tacit support of government and the Arewa leaders.

    9. That since that treasonable order by Arewa youths, and because no one was arrested, tried and convicted for the high treason, the same matter for which Nnamdi Kalu was imprisoned for about two years, we no longer have faith in one indissoluble Nigeria.

    That we state emphatically and without equivocation, that in the likely event of the disintegration of Nigeria, we have resolved to live together in the “Region of Niger Delta’, which we henceforth now wish to call RONDEL.

    That we wish henceforth, as a people, to be known and addressed as Rondelites and our languages to be known as dialects of Rondish, which shall be our Official Language, side by side English.

    That our capital city shall be a portion carved out of an existing area in the Region of Niger Delta and to be renamed Rondland. Details, including out national anthem, flag, coat of arms and interim Constitution, will be published in our book, “RONDEL MANIFESTO: The Making of a Nation” to be released on October 1, 2017.

    That the Igbo people, and indeed all Africans and foreigners, are heartily welcome to visit, stay, live in or do legitimate business unencumbered anywhere in Rondel now and in the future.

    14. That in the event of a breakup and the Biafrans, the Omoluabis, Middle Beltans, etc have their separate countries, we will be willing to enter into economic partnerships to help each other grow their economies and societies to achieve the Millennium Developed Goals.

    15. That this Resolution serves as a warning and a Notice to the Nigerian government, the International community, including all the northern states of Nigeria that henceforth, if any Igbo or indeed any Southerner or Middle Beltan Nigerian is ever attacked or killed again anywhere in the north in a hate or xenophobic attack, we shall declare our Independence within three months.

    This is not a threat but self preservation.

    That since the Arewa youths have given the Igbos (that implies all southerners, we are not fooled) three months notice to vacate ‘their Nigeria’, we give all northern oil bloc owners three months notice from October 1, 2017 for them to leave the Niger Delta Region or face unpredictable adverse consequences.

    17. That we are now ready to take our destiny in our own hands and end this parasitic forced marriage of perpetual disaster since 1914.

    18. That we in the Region of Niger Delta declare today 07.06.2017 as the commencement date for our Independence struggle.

    19. That the minimum demand for negotiation is arrest, prosecution and conviction of all those who were involved in the provocative treasonable felony. Condemning their action or threat to arrest them will not suffice this time.

    20. That we wish to declare to the troublesome northerners that Enough is Enough.

  • We’ll deliver all projects embarked on in Niger Delta – FG

    We’ll deliver all projects embarked on in Niger Delta – FG

    The Federal Government has said unlike past administrations, the President Muhammadu Buhari led administration will finish whatever projects it embarked on in the Niger Delta region.

    This was made known on Tuesday by the Acting President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo in a meeting with a delegation from Bayelsa, led by Gov. Seriake Dickson.

    He told the delegation, which included executives of the 3.6 billion dollar Brass Fertilizer and Petro-Chemical Company expected to come on stream soon, that the new approach, called the New Vision, involved active and effective collaboration between government, the private sector and communities.

    Osinbajo explained that “this approach will ensure that we finish whatever we start.”

    He pointed to effective collaboration with the private sector and cited the NLNG as one instance of such effective collaborations.

    He said the new approach was adopted “because only 12 per cent completion rate was recorded in many projects undertaken by Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs in the past years, with the rest abandoned.

    “The Buhari administration is committed to finishing whatever we start.”

    In his comments, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu,
    described the idea of the Brass Fertilizer and Petro-Chemical firm as “a game changer that we need to encourage.’’

    The minister added that “such ideas have the potential to change the economic model in the Niger Delta.”

    The acting President also received a delegation from Seed Entrepreneurs Association of Nigeria (SEEDAN), led by its President, Mr Richard Olafare, and the Director-General of the National Agricultural Seed Council, Dr P.O.Ojo.

    He assured the delegation that the Federal Government would do much more in the area of agriculture, stressing that fertilizer and seed inputs were vital for agricultural revolution.

    He told members of the association that “your visit and contributions are very important to us.

    “The President has said we must grow what we eat; we must be able to grow everything we eat.

     

     

    NAN

     

  • FG’s Niger Delta peace initiative boosts refineries’ production – NNPC

    FG’s Niger Delta peace initiative boosts refineries’ production – NNPC

    The Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr Maikanti Baru, says Federal Government’s peace initiative in the Niger Delta has raised production of Nigeria’s three refineries.

    In a statement released in Abuja on Tuesday by Mr Ndu Ughamadu, NNPC Group General Manager, Public Affairs Division, Baru said this during an interactive session with a delegation from the UK Royal College of Defence Studies.

    According to him, refining activities peaked at 10 million barrels of crude oil in the first quarter of 2017 alone as against eight million and 24 million barrels for the entire years of 2015 and 2016 respectively.

    Baru, who was represented at the event by the Chief Operating Officer, Gas and Power, Mr Saidu Mohammed, said apart from the upbeat in the refineries activities attributable to the peace initiative, which has lowered the rate of attacks on oil installations, the corporation has recorded an increase in crude oil production to two million barrels per day in recent time.

    ”As a nation, we have tried all available options, including military, to tackle the security challenge. We have discovered that guns are not as effective as the engagement option.

    ”The peace we are enjoying now is as a result of the engagement with stakeholders in the region led by the Acting President. We intend to build on that to achieve lasting peace”, Baru said.

    He said with the respite in the region, the NNPC would do all it could to build on the gains of the Federal Government to deepen and sustain the peace.

    Speaking earlier, the team leader of the UK Royal College of Defence Studies delegation, Maj. Gen. Craig Lawrence, said the group was in NNPC to learn how the corporation was generating wealth and prosperity for the country in the face of daunting challenges.

    He thanked the management of NNPC for sparing the time to explain to the delegation the workings of the corporation.

    Members of the delegation included United Kingdom, France, Pakistan, and Thailand nationals, among others.

     

     

    NAN

     

  • Niger Delta now an investment destination – NDDC MD

    Niger Delta now an investment destination – NDDC MD

    The Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Mr. Nsima Ekere has stated that the current focus of the Federal Government on the Niger Delta region has made it an investment destination with opportunities in oil and gas, agriculture, Information Communication Technology, as well as power generation and distribution.

    Ekere spoke during the dinner held for participants at the 2017 Offshore Technology Conference, OTC, in Houston, Texas, United States. According to him the Niger Delta was being repositioned to attract investors in several growth areas beyond oil and gas.

    The NDDC Chief Executive Officer assured that specific policy initiatives targeting the root cause of the agitations in the Niger Delta were being prepared for rollout by the Federal Government. “These will tackle security, law and order, power, transport infrastructure, modular refineries and investment in people,” he said.

    Ekere stated that the NDDC’s participation at the 2017 OTC Conference was to explore partnerships and opportunities with investors who would support the efforts of the Federal Government and NDDC in creating more jobs for the teeming Niger Delta youths who were already armed with the requisite skills and knowledge to work and collaborate with investors in different economic sectors.

    The NDDC boss said that with 18 universities spread across the 9 States in the region, the Niger Delta was well positioned to provide the needed human resources to ensure viability and sustainability of investments.

    He added: “We are also working with the business community to identify ways to overcome constraints and ensure businesses take advantage of the numerous opportunities in the region. Investors are invited to join us on this journey of discovery of the potentials in the Niger Delta region. ”

    Ekere pledged that the NDDC would continue to work with communities and people of the region to provide needs-based interventions for communities, noting that the region was one of the most promising locations in Nigeria, covering 9 states with a population of about 32 million people, 60% of whom are below the age of 30 years.

    He underscored the fact that the region was the focal point for the Oil & Gas sector with about 37 billion barrels of proven reserves and numerous other mineral deposits such as granite, barites, marble, clay, gypsum, phosphate rock, feldspar, limestone sand and gravel.

    In addition, he said: “Before the advent of Oil the region exported coal, gold, tin, columbite, tantalite, lead and zinc. With over 750,000 hectares suitable for fish and shrimp farming and 500,000 hectares of arable land for farming, the region is a diversified portfolio of opportunities.”

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the Offshore Technology Conference is a conglomeration of global players in the Oil and gas industry as well as Information Communication Technology, power generation and allied sectors. It offers a networking/investment platform to participants.

     

  • Buhari not sincere in resolving N’Delta crisis, we’ll resume bombings soon – Militants

    Following their alleged neglect by the Federal Government, a coalition of militant groups in the Niger Delta region have threatened to resume attacks on oil installations in the region.

    The militant groups, under the aegis of the Coalition of Niger Delta Agitators, said in a statement sent via email to the media that the Federal Government, under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari, was not sincere in resolving the crisis in the Niger Delta.

    The statement was signed by the leader of Niger Delta Watchdog, ‘General’ John Duku; ‘General’ Ekpo Ekpo of the Niger Delta Volunteers, ‘Commander’ Henry Etete of the Niger Delta People’s Fighters and ‘Commander’ Asuquo Henshaw of the Bakassi Freedom Fighters.

    Duku, who also signed as the leader of the coalition, recalled in the statement that nothing had happened since the Pan Niger Delta Elders’ Forum met with the President in November 2016.

    He added that PANDEF persuaded them (militants) to sheathe their swords and embrace dialogue.

    The statement said, “There is no more time; the Federal Government must act now and show seriousness and commitment to the plight of Niger Delta or we will be forced to resume attacks.

    “We must make sure we liberate our people from the slavery of the Nigerian state. We believe that the Federal Government will not be surprised to see another crisis in the Niger Delta and they should not blame anyone if such happens.

    “The Federal Government, under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari, is not sincere in resolving the Niger Delta crisis.”

    They described the visit to the Niger Delta region of the Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, who was the acting President then, as a camouflage and tactics of the Federal Government to achieve its normal crude oil production in the area.

    The statement added, “We know very well that the visit of the Vice-President (then Acting President) to oil producing states was a big scam, camouflage, deceit and delay tactics by the Federal Government to achieve its normal daily crude oil production.

    “We want to state here clearly that we are tired of all unfulfilled promises; we are tired of developing Niger Delta in the media, we are tired of the Vice-President’s unending meetings without follow-up actions.”