Address 16-Point Agenda Of PANDEF And We’ll Be At Peace With You, IYC Tells FG

Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), led by factional President, Barr. Roland Oweilaemi Pereotobo has told the Federal Government that the Implementation of the 16-point agenda of the Pan Niger Delta Forum is the only panacea for peace in the region.

IYC’s factional President stated this on Tuesday at the 2nd Regular Meeting of the National Council on Niger Delta held in Akure, the Ondo state capital.

Pereotobo in his address at the occasion, emailed to BigPen Online said that the peace required in the Niger Delta is anchored on the development of the region.

He said to attain peace the Federal Government should address the teething issues of resource control, true federalism, political autonomy and self-determination within the Nigerian federation.

Hear him, “The people want to exercise control of the resources found in our Lands. A situation where I have oil in my backyard but I have no single control of how it is being managed, while I suffered the damage to the environment arising from its operations cannot guarantee peace.

“That is the driving force behind the age-long struggle. Everyday the people went to bed in anger and woke up in anger”, he added.

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According to him, if past Governments had responded adequately to the yearnings of the people through developmental initiatives, the peace that had eluded the region wouldn’t have being.

He said that failure of successive governments to address recommendations of various commissions of inquiries is the root cause of the reoccurring problem in the region.

“For instance, the reports of the various Commissions of Inquiries were thrown into the waste bin by their initiators after spending huge amount of money to set up those Commissions.

“The recommendations of the said Commissions if implemented, would have settled the issues in dispute long ago.

“The reason why a cross section of the Niger Delta people is cynical to dialogue is because of the unwillingness of the past Governments to implement the recommendations of the various Commissions of Inquiries they set up.

“The above position presupposes that, action and not talks is required to address the problem in the Niger Delta.

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“It amounts to nothing if the present Government is also organising talkshow like its predecessors instead of addressing the issues presented to it by the leaders of the region.

“All that the Government need to bring peace to the region is to adopt and the address the 16 point demands of PANDEF”.

“You cannot talk about peace in the region when the vexed issues have not been addressed.

“To fast track development, one thing the Government need do is to implement its executive order of directing the IOCs to relocate their corporate headquarters to the region.

“The importance of this Presidential order cannot be overemphasized as it is a gateway to achieving peace. Our resolve to embark on peaceful protest to press home our demand for the Government to implement its promise is still stand.

“We are going to protest after the 90 days ultimatum given to the oil companies to comply with the executive order”.

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