The government deserves applause for battling corruption, having also displayed ingenuity in tackling the bad economy, while taking Nigeria out of recession. The cases of farmers-herders clashes in some states of the federation are counting as another daunting challenge that the Buhari government is battling to contain. Security operatives in the affected hot spots are already proving capable of restoring peace with intent to reconcile the aggrieved parties. All hands are on deck, as Nigerians expect a quick resolution of widespread conflicts across the country by the authorities. It is disheartening, however, to note that as the government battles to fight insecurity to a standstill in some sections of the north and middle belt, the Niger Delta Avengers a few days ago, expressed its resolve to return to the trenches with plans to cripple the national economy again. The Avengers, in a statement last week, vowed to begin attacks on “Critical oil assets, tagging its new offensive, “operation red economy” aimed at bringing Nigeria’s oil production and export capacity to level zero. They vowed that the attacks would be the most deadly, touching on the deep-sea operations of the multinationals in the deep waters of the Niger Delta region.
Nigeria, stupendously blessed with rare natural and human resources, does not need to be this unfortunate with a welter of traumas bedevilling it at all times. There is a limit to divine intervention; a reason the Niger Delta Avengers should have a rethink and re-focus, bearing in mind that the peace that Nigeria enjoys lately on attainment of economic growth arose from their resolve to stop militancy and destruction of oil facilities in the Niger Delta zone. The Avengers are Nigerians and should realise that a better Niger Delta of their dream may never be attained through anomie and utter destruction of the God’s given wealth in their region. The Avengers can be part of the nation-building teams by falling in line with attempts by the government to re-write the history of the region through a number of identified progress-inclined strategies.
In the past few months, for instance, the present government has intensified efforts on holding meaningful talks with leaders of thought in the Niger Delta zone through the PANDEF on developmental initiatives. The talks had yielded fruits, prodding the government to approve projects for areas in the Niger Delta.Some of the projects include the take-off of Maritime University in Delta State, commencement of Ogoni clean-up, infrastructure development with investments on Bonny-Bodo Road and Ibaka Deep Sea Port and the approval for the establishment of Modular Refineries. In the same vein, there has been an increased allocation in the 2018 Budget for the Niger Delta Development Commission and the Presidential Amnesty Programme. According to record, the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) has empowered a total of 4, 079 ex-militants through the establishment of businesses such as agriculture (cluster farms). All the same, a total of 3, 237 ex-militants had been put through different stages of Vocational Training and University Scholarship Programmes. Part of the initiative on Niger Delta includes the training of 10, 000 beneficiaries in agriculture while establishing 10, 000-hectare cluster farms in the nine (9) Niger Delta States for them by the Amnesty office. The government’s modern agricultural schemes are also projected to create 80, 000 new jobs in two years
The take-home point for all is that 2018 is critical, being a year preceding the next round of elections in Nigeria. Any disruption of a programme for a successful transition in 2019 in any part of Nigeria may prove disastrous. The idea is that rather than starting another orgy of violence which aims to destroy the national economy, the Avengers should join the team of Nigerians mindful of the need to install leaders who they feel are more disposed towards attending to their legitimate wants and demands.
- Samuel, a journalist and media analyst, writes in from Abuja
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