N-DELTA CRISIS: FG advised against selective negotiation

PORT HARCOURT—The Federal Government has been urged to avoid selective negotiation with groups in the Niger Delta if it was genuinely willing to end insurgency in the region. President, Niger Delta Non-Violence Youth Leaders Assembly, Mr Kennedy West in a statement yesterday in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, said that the government should also review the Ledum Mitee technical committee report and other similar recommendations for implementation to end challenges of underdevelopment which gives rise to endless militancy in the region. The statement by Dr Felix Tuodolor, also called for the passage of Nigerian Merchant Navy Bill into law to enhance security on the waterways, adding that government should stimulate robust economy in the region with the establishment of three seaports in the area. Urging the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr Ibe Kachikwu to look at why international oil companies were failing in their corporate social responsibilities to their host communities and how best to resolve the problem, the group said government should pay up all outstanding debts for the pipeline surveillance contract. “The Minister of Petroleum should look into the award of OML such that will exposed the discrepancies involved in the process bearing in mind equity participation of indigenes. Also, the National Assembly should jettison the idea to expunge the local content clauses in the PIB bill such act is dangerous to the growth of the locals.” He called for commencement of work on the NLNG Bonny train 7 and Brass LNG project, adding that the project had capacity to employ over 40,000 youths in the region.