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Niger Delta Conference takes place in Netherlands
Tuesday, 23 February 2010 19:29 | 
Hope for Niger Delta Campaign hosts conference on Niger Delta crisis
Nigeria’s Acting President Goodluck Jonathan, Governors Timiprey Sylva (Bayelsa), Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), Godswill Akpabio (Akwa – Ibom), Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta) are among the dignitaries who have been invited to attend a 2-day Conference, on the way forward for the Niger Delta post amnesty, tagged “Hague 2010”. The Conference will take place on 25th and 26th February, 2010 in The Hague, The Netherlands.
The seminar which is being Organized by the Hope for Niger Delta Campaign (HNDC), a Non Governmental Organization (NGO) in the Netherlands, has the theme, “Niger Delta Peace Consolidation Conference”, and it is expected to also host ex-militant leaders, such as Government Ekpemupolo aka Tompolo, Victor Ben Ebikabowei aka Boyloaf, Tom Ateke, Leader of the Deadly Underdog, Sobomabo Jackrich, Mujahid Asari Dokubo and many others.
Foremost Ijaw leader, Chief EK Clark, Comrade Joseph Evah (Ijaw Monitory Group), Tony Uranta (United Niger Delta Energy, Security and Strategy), Dr. Chris Ekiyor (Ijaw Youth Council), Mr. Ledum Mitee (Chairman Niger Delta Technical Committee), Dr. Atuboyedia Obianime (Ijaw National Congress), Mr. Chibuzor Ugwoha (MD, NDDC), Chief Wellington Okrika (DESOPADEC), will also grace the Conference. The House of Representative will be represented by the Chairmen of the following House Committees, Niger Delta, Ad-Hoc Committee on the Niger Delta Crisis, Defence, Petroleum and Gas Resources (Upstream and Downstream).
This conference has become significant in the light of the fragile achievement, recorded by Federal Government so far in the Niger Delta. HNDC believes that there is need to consolidate on the successes so far achieved through the amnesty programme, so as to avoid a situation where the Niger Delta will slide back into the state of anarchy that pervaded the region in the last three years.
Comrade Sunny Ofehe, Founder/President of the Hope for Niger Delta Campaign said that the emerging tendencies in the aftermath of the amnesty have shown that the Nigerian government does not have all the solutions to ensuring a permanent peace in the oil producing region. In the last months after the former freedom fighters surrendered their weapons, the reality is that there are still several discordant voices reverberating from aggrieved ex-militant leaders who feel short-changed in the process of disarmament.
Besides, the current effort to end restiveness in the Niger Delta region could be unsustainable unless the involvement of the International Community such as the European Union, which can command respect of the parties in the matter. The militants too, want the Nigerian Government to seek foreign help in the post amnesty program because of the fear that those currently in charge of the program have little or no experience in crisis management.
Understandably, a peaceful Niger Delta will conduce into safe business environment for oil multinationals and nongovernmental agencies operating in the region. It is also, therefore, in the interest of countries whose nationals have substantial interest in the oil firms to support a conference such as this. The Nigerian government and indeed the international community dependent on oil cannot again allow the Niger Delta slide back into the state of anarchy that pervaded the area in the last three years.
God bless you
Regards
Bestmann L Saronwiyo