$40bn have been spent on Niger Delta in 12 years without result – Kachikwu

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu has disclosed that more than $40 billion had been dolled out to the Niger Delta region in the past 12 years through various intervention agencies, regretting however, that there was nothing on ground to justify such amount.

Kachikwu, who spoke yesterday at a meeting held at PTI Conference Centre in Warri, Delta State involving prominent leaders from the coastal states, said the $40 billion came mainly from oil companies, Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, 13% derivation and other intervention funds.

While noting that the state of infrastructure is disappointing despite the huge effort to alleviate the infrastructural deficit in the Niger Delta, he called for an audit of money so far expended in the region to know what exactly went wrong to avoid repeating the same mistakes.

According to him, “I’ve been to the creeks myself and discovered that there was no meaningful development of the riverine communities as expected by the federal government despite the huge amount disbursed to the region.

“I think we need an audit because it will not be wise to have agitation of this kind in circle after each agitation will come back again to demand for the same thing when intervention funds had made no impact on the lives of the ordinary people.”

The minister also used the forum to assure leaders of the zone that President Muhammadu Buhari was not thinking of using the military to resolve the crisis in the region.

Instead, he maintained that the President was desirous of using dialogue to find a lasting solution to the problem.

The minister urged leaders in the region to prevail on their youths to allow peace to reign, noting that no meaningful development can take place in an atmosphere of violence.

He told the Niger Delta leaders that the federal government was committed to the development of the region, promising to come out soon with short and long term plans in that direction.

40 Niger Delta ex-militants graduate with First Class and Second Class Upper from Benson Idahosa University

Forty delegates under the Presidential Amnesty Programme graduated in First Class and Second Class Upper Division from the Benson Idahosa University, Benin. The results issued by the university on Monday, showed that six of the Amnesty delegates had First Class; one in Mathematics, two in Business Administration and three in Political Science and Public Administration.

Thirty four other Amnesty delegates graduated with Second Class Upper Division (2:1) A breakdown of those graduating with Upper Class showed that eight were in Political Science, four each in the Department of Economics, Banking and Finance, and the Mass Communication Department. Three each graduated in this Class from Computer Science, Business Administration and International Studies and Diplomacy.

Two graduated in Physics while one each graduated with Second Class Upper in Law, Agric Economics, Political Science Education, Library Studies, Microbiology, Biochemistry, and Business Education. Overall, over 50 percent of the 79 graduating Amnesty Programme delegates from the university had First Class and Second Class Upper degrees.

While receiving the official results from the university, an elated Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta, Brigadier General Paul Boroh (Rtd) said the outstanding performance of the Amnesty delegates showed that if given the opportunity, youths from the Niger Delta can excel. He recalled with joy that just a fortnight ago, 22 of 144 delegates who graduated from 17 United Kingdom universities had First Class and Second Class Upper degrees. He pointed out that three of these UK graduates had First Class degrees in Mechatronics and Robotic System Engineering, Telecommunications and Network Engineering, and Public Relations from Liverpool and Bedfordshire universities.

General Boroh who is also the Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme said the retention and funding of the Amnesty Programme by President Muhammadu Buhari shows he is committed to the stability and development of the Niger Delta.

He thanked the President for ensuring the sustainability of the Amnesty Programme and urged youths in the Niger Delta irrespective of their education or professional calling, to give a thought to agriculture either as a primary or secondary means of income in order, among other objectives, to create jobs, generate wealth and achieve food security.