The Federal Government has indicated its genuine
commitment to addressing all issues that have led to the attacks on oil
facilities by some aggrieved youth in the Niger Delta.
The Bayelsa State Commissioner of Information and
Orientation, Mr. Jonathan Obuebite made the assertion in Government House while
speaking to journalists shortly after the visit of the Minister of State for
Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachiwku and the Special Adviser to the President on Amnesty
Programme, General Paul Boroh (retired) on Tuesday, June 14, 2016.
Mr. Obuebite stressed the need for all parties
involved in the peace process to put the development of the Niger Delta region
first.
He said the decay of infrastructure and near absence
of Federal Government presence in the state is as a result of several years of
neglect by both government and the oil companies, pointing out that because of
the years if neglect, it will take some time for government efforts to yield
the desired result.
The Commissioner said that Bayelsa being the hob of the
Izon nation is most affected by the activities of oil companies in the areas of
pollution and environmental degradation.
He therefore urged the federal government to give the state a commensurate
attention.
The commissioner called on the aggrieved youths not to
do anything that would truncate the peace process, urging them to toe the line
of peace and dialogue in the interest of the region.
He added that the continued destruction of oil
facilities is affecting the economic fortunes of the region.
Commenting on the plaque which is the Bayelsa State
Coat of Arms presented by the Governor Seriake Dickson to the minister, the
commissioner said it symbolized the Ijaw man’s resilience, hard work and
determination even in the face of environmental challenges.
Earlier in his comment, the Minister of State for
Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachukwu had described the Bayelsa Coat of Arm as
a real creative work.
Dr. Kachukwu, who described his visit as home coming,
remarked that as a Niger Deltan himself, he shares the same feelings with the
people, stressing that leaders at all levels have the responsibility to end the
insecurity and violence through dialogue.
The Petroleum Minister, who is also the Group Managing
Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation NNPC, disclosed that the
recent crisis in the region has affected all sectors of the economy and
appealed for a quick resolution of the issue.
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