Delta state Governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, and Governors Timipreye Sylva of Bayelsa and Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers have censured the British Foreign office travel advisory to their nationals and investors against visiting the Niger Delta as hurting investment in the zone.
The governor’s, who voiced their disapproval at the Chatham House Roundtable in London on Niger Delta, said that the risk perception analysis of the region is very misleading, contrary to the situation on the ground.
Delta state Governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan in his lead presentation listed five areas of International engagement that can help in resolving the crisis, as including partnering to end illegal theft of crude oil, which he estimates to be over 30,000 barrels per day that fuels militant camps and is financed by foreign companies and shippers.
He demanded international cooperation to enforce laws as it relates to the buying of stolen crude. Governor Uduaghan tasked major international oil companies to strengthen their own internal critical control system to monitor and improve their staff behaviour as they collude with illegal oil bunkerers with logistics.
Governor Uduaghan asked for monitoring and prevention of flow of small arms to the militant groups as this has led to other criminal activities like kidnapping. He insisted that international collaboration is important because the small arms trafficking is done by mostly European and American arms dealers, in exchange for cheap oil deals. He further asked for better intelligence co-operation to stop the trade in illegal arms trade.
The Delta state governor lamented oil pollution of the environment due to exploration activities, which he said is causing anger in the local communities as this damages their economic resource in the water ways and demanded a programme of clean up from the oil companies of the badly damaged waterways.
He urged the international business community to view investment in key infrastructure projects as part of its own security arrangements. According to him, “what affects the Niger Delta affects the world.”
Governor Sylva explained that his administration’s policy of engagement and demobilization of the militants is proceeding successfully, but called for international collaboration to assist in ending militant activities. He made reference to the recent attack of Equatorial Guinea by some militants as an example that international collaboration is important. He insisted that international silence and inaction can lead to further deterioration of the situation.
Governor Amaechi lamented that the criminal activities like kidnapping has become lucrative despite efforts to end it in his state and despite offering economic incentives for those to do legitimate activities. He also said that resolving the Niger Delta problem is also a question of injustice and that some of the problems can be done when justice is done to the people of the zone.