FG should improve living conditions in Niger Delta – U.S.

The United States has identified dialogue and
practical efforts in the development of the Niger
Delta, as veritable means to resolve the security
and other related challenges of the region.
The Deputy Head of Mission of the United States
Embassy in Nigeria, Ambassador David Young,
stated this during a courtesy call on Bayelsa
State Governor, Henry Seriake Dickson in
Government House, Yenagoa on Wednesday.
The Envoy, who is visiting Bayelsa for the first
time, implored the Federal Government to put in
place measures that would improve the living
conditions of the Niger Delta people.
While calling on all stakeholders to embrace
dialogue, as part of the process of resolving the
crisis in the region, Young observed that
successive governments in the country have been
making efforts to achieve the best possible
means to deploy the wealth generated from the
Niger Delta to impact on the lives of the people.
According to him, the US government was ready
to partner with Nigeria and Bayelsa state in the
area of funding development and economic
prosperity, through a variety of programmes,
including agriculture, health, education and
maritime security, without losing focus on
transparency and fiscal responsibility.
Young said, “The US government feels very
strongly that all stakeholders should be engaged
in dialogue, as part of the process to arrive at
equitable and fair solution for all involved.
“We believe that a bit of challenge for Nigeria, is
to transform the region of oil wells (the Niger
Delta) into improvement in the life of the average
Deltan. And, that is something we feel very
strongly about.
“We encourage Nigerians to work for common
goals as against violence and criminal activities.
We encourage Nigeria to establish conditions and
mechanisms for lasting change over time and
provide economic opportunities and services for
Deltans… US provides assistance to the region,
through maritime security training, aviation
security, treatment and prevention of HIV/AIDS,
good governance planning, agric system and a
number of other activities. So we want to be
your partner.”
In his response, Dickson lamented the level of
environmental damage in the Niger Delta and
renewed his call on multinational corporate
organisations, particularly the oil majors to
adhere to international standards in their
operations in the region.
While calling for caution on the part of troops,
being deployed to the region, Governor Dickson
said that, the solution to the problems of the
Niger Delta lies squarely on development and
environmental justice, which he noted, could only
be achieved through meaningful dialogue.
Describing the environment as a critical heritage
of any people, the Governor commended the
Federal Government for kick-starting the
Ogoniland Clean-Up Programme and called for its
extension to other parts of the region, stressing
that Bayelsa environment remains the most
polluted in the Niger Delta.
According to him, as the place where oil was
first struck in commercial quantity, Bayelsa
records an average of three oil pollutions in a
day and requires a special attention from the
Federal Government and the multi-Nationals.
Dickson expressed gratitude to the US envoy and
his team for the visit, and solicited their
assistance in the areas of education,
infrastructural development and promotion of
peace and stability in the Niger Delta.
His said, “We believe that the issues of the Niger
Delta are not such that can be resolved by
means of confrontation or show of military
strength. We believe that these are essentially
issues of development; they are issues about the
environment.
“So, we as a government, community leaders,
corporate executives particularly the oil majors
that are operating here and the Federal
Government, its agencies and the friends of our
country should work together to resolve the
challenges of the Niger Delta.
“These are issues that working together sincerely
and following a clear roadmap, we think can be
resolved in such a way that communities will be
prosperous; Government, agencies and
businesses within our region will benefit from the
overall climate of stability and security that will
be generated when there is a consensus building
effort. That is where we stand and I believe that
has been the position of the US Mission.”