(Next News) – The Federal Government’s desire to create an atmosphere of peace in the Niger Delta through its offer of amnesty to militants may suffer a setback, as governors from the South-South have threatened to withdraw from the arrangement unless vital issues affecting the region are brought to a roundtable discussion by Abuja.
The meeting of the South-South Governors Forum, which ended on Thursday night in Asaba, Delta State, noted that the Federal Government has failed to put up any definite post-amnesty development plan, which they said was absolutely necessary for the injustice done to the region to be addressed.
The governors’ commitment to the process is imperative because some of the militants are wanted by the Police commands in some states for alleged criminal acts committed in the states.
In a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, the governors also faulted the relocation of the University of Petroleum Technology, Effurun, in Delta State to Kaduna, in the northern part of the country and called for the immediate reversal of the decision.
They also expressed disgust at the alleged anti Niger Delta posture of the Minister of Petroleum, Rilwanu Lukman.
“The South-South Governors, after due consideration of the reforms in the petroleum sector, especially on its Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) before the National Assembly, pointed out that the absence of any special allocation of resources, royalties or proceeds from oil exploration for the benefit of oil producing communities and states, was not proper,” the governors said.
Sovereign wealth fund
The governors, according to the communiqué read by the chairman of the Forum, Liyel Imoke, agreed to establish what it called “a Sovereign Wealth Fund” in which the South-South states would collectively invest portions of their revenue from the excess crude account, to be managed by an international financial institution.
The fund, according to the governors, would attract additional investment from across the world and would be invested primarily in projects in the region for the development of viable business and economic ventures, in partnership with the organized private sector.
The South-South governors also renewed their commitment towards the take-off of the agreed railway line linking Calabar, in Cross Rivers State – and passing through all the states of the region – to Lagos, with a view to boosting transportation and communication among the states.
