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, September 8, 2016.
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.”
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