Nigeria: N-Delta Crisis Has Perilous Implications – Anyaoku

Former Commonwealth Secretary-General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, declared yesterday that the current socio-political situation in the Niger Delta was “a major national crisis with potentially perilous implications that will go beyond our national economy if not properly resolved.”

“The response to this national crisis must begin from a clear understanding that the situation which now exists in the Niger Delta region cannot be resolved through force of arms,” he said in a speech at the First Information Summit on Media, Finance and Developments organised by the Delta State government in Asaba.
Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan on his part warned that his administration would not welcome any investor wishing to exploit gas in the state without giving equity shares to the host communities.

Chief Anyaoku in his prepared speech entitled: “Niger Delta: A major national crisis and admirable vision and objectives of Delta State Government’s economic strategy,” said: “The country must recognise that we now have in the Niger Delta region a major national crisis with potentially perilous implications that will go beyond our national economy if not properly resolved.

The crisis is the culmination of long years of neglect of the interests of the people of the region, and indifference to the ecological consequences of the exploitation of the region’s oil and gas resources.

“The primary responsibility for this neglect and indifference lies with our national administrations which have, over the years, not only controlled the proceeds from the main resource of the region, but also have allowed the multinational oil companies to operate in the area in a manner that would not be tolerated in more environment conscious countries.

AllAfrica