Minister, Niger Delta Affairs Ministry, Senator Godswill Akpabio, says arrogance on the part oil companies and absence of Corporate Social Responsibility was responsible militancy in the Niger Delta Region.
Akpabio,who said this while receiving in courtesy, the Charge d’ Affaires a.i of the Embassy of Ireland in Nigeria, Mr Conor Finn, in his office in Abuja,emphasized the commitment of the President Mohammadu Buhari- led administration to changing the negative narrative in the region.
He said: “Arrogance and absence of Corporate Social Responsibility by oil operators in the region, which caused the indigenes their source of livelihood, led to militancy in the region. It was a situation where the owners of the land ate crumbs that fell off the table of the investors, while the investors lived in opulence with no regard or concern for the living condition of the host community.”
” Oil spillage caused serious economic hardship to the people of the Niger Delta, whose major source of income are fishing and farming. As a result of this unbearable condition of the host community, President Buhari is more than determined to change the negative narrative for the good of the people, through the implementation of the recommendations by the Forensic Auditors”, he said.
Akpabio noted that the government at the centre, ” is ready to listen to the demands of the people on the constitution of the board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). Things are certainly not not going to remain the same again. We will no more encourage the moving of individual’s pockets forward, but we will now insist on moving development and empowerment of the people forward. The first and second sets of the Forensic Audit reports have already been submitted and we are awaiting the final report which would form the basis for the take off of the new board”.
Akpabio called for a change of attitude from the people of the region by insisting on provision of sustainable infrastructural projects as source of livelihood, instead of engaging in militancy. “Oil companies and the attitude of our people are also the problem of the region.”
” The NDDC, as an interventionist agency was over the years turned into an avenue to finance political ambition of some politicians, while neglecting the core mandate of alleviating the sufferings of the people.”, he stressed.
In his remarks, Finn reaffirmed the determination of the government of Ireland to partner with the Niger Delta Ministry for continuous peace and development in the region, he lauded Akpabio in his efforts at nipping in the bud, the activities of militants, through empowerment of the youths and provision of infrastructure.
“Let me reiterate our readiness to make ourselves available in support of the programs of the Ministry. We hope to see more effort towards alleviating the suffering of the people in the days to come.”, he assured.
