“We demand independence and sovereign Republic of Niger Delta, all the companies and businesses owned by the northerners/Yoruba in Niger Delta should be vacated before October 1, 2017.”
Browsing: Pan-Niger Delta Forum
Korodo said, “This is a good development if the government will fulfil the proposed employment, especially now that there are agitations from different parts of the country.
The group has also called on International Oil Companies (IOCs) to relocate to the region before the set date, failure, which would attract resumption of hostilities against oil and gas infrastructure in the region.
“To enhance a speedy development and restore peace in the Niger Delta region, Federal Government has revamped the Niger Delta Development Commission to drive the creation of development and infrastructure projects in the region,” Akande added.
The inter-ministerial group, consisting of all relevant ministries, departments and agencies, MDAs of the FG, with the involvement of relevant State governments led by the Acting President, meets regularly to drive the different initiatives and ensure effective and ongoing implementation of the FG Niger Delta new vision.
“There is no ultimatum. We agreed on many things and we came in with our own address, presented it; the ministers presented their cases. Mr Acting President rounded it off and we saw in him the genuineness, truthfulness and forthrightness.”
He said, “It is highly selfish and unpatriotic for the Chief E. K. Clark-led PANDEF to give the Federal Government an ultimatum considering the right steps taken so far by the government towards a permanent solution to the age-long crisis that had bedeviled the Niger Delta region.”
“We have resolved that resource control, fiscal federalism and devolution of powers are the only panacea. Anything short of that will not be acceptable to NDRC and the 21st century agitators of the Niger Delta.”
“There is funding to start the process, funding is not what is holding us at the moment. The commitment is a billion over five years, and nobody has reneged on that till date. The structure to release the fund is in place,” Edun said.
The statement noted the various steps PANDEF had taken to address the issue of 13 percent derivation including the establishment of the Maritime University, Okerenkoko; proposed construction of modular refineries; pipeline surveillance; relocation of oil companies’ headquarters to the region, so as to engage the youths, among other matters.
