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I’ll revisit situation in N’Delta to ensure we succeed this time, Buhari promises

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I’ll revisit situation in N’Delta to ensure we succeed this time, Buhari promises

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday, during a meeting with leaders and stakeholders of the embattled Niger Delta oil region, said he was ready to revisit the situation the area to ensure lasting peace is achieved.

The leaders of the region led by Chief Edwin Clark had during the meeting presented a 16-point request they believe will solve the agitations and militancy in the region to President Buhari for negotiation.

While welcoming the 16-point demand, the President said he was still expecting reports from officials he had instructed to review the implementation of the Amnesty program to determine where government fell short so that amends can be made.

He added that the service chiefs were putting together their own assessment of the militancy situation, “when I have these reports, including this one (just presented), we will revisit the situation (in the region) to ensure that we succeed this time.”

The President while assuring them that his vision is to see a united and progressive Nigeria in which peace reigns, said peace, security, investment and prosperity are linked together, adding that “if we give peace a chance, investors will come here to invest. Nobody will invest in an insecure environment”.

He then called on the Niger Delta leaders to join the administration in bringing peace to the troubled region.

Read also: $30BN LOAN: We’ll engage Senate, it will change its decision –Presidency

“We are determined to make life comfortable and affordable to all Nigerians. If anybody has a country to go to, let him go, we will stay here and salvage our country.

“Please Your Excellencies, Your Majesties, Distinguished ladies and gentlemen; we all have our individual constituencies. Let us try to pacify our constituencies. Let us first recover our country, secure the country and let us invite people who will invest. Let us create jobs for our people and let us be accountable to our people where we are sitting on treasuries, whether it is local government, state or the center. We should ensure that we rebuild this country. Nobody wants to fail. So, the only way out is, if people understand and believe that we are doing our best at all levels, then we will have some peace. But it they have reason to doubt our performance and sincerity, then we will have problem,” President Buhari said.

Among the 16-point request by the leaders and Stakeholders of the Niger Delta are, the completion of major road projects in the region, the take-off of the maritime university, the full activation of ports in Niger Delta and other water ways, the relocation of international oil companies to the region. Others issues include the issuance of oil blocks to the states and other stakeholders as well as the strengthening of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC and the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs. They also broached the issue of fiscal federalism.

The outcome of the meeting was made available to news men by Garba Shehu, the President Senior Special Adviser on Media and Publicity.
By Ebere Ndukwu …

 

 

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