Militants in the Niger Delta yesterday called on President Umaru Musa Yar�Adua to consider them for ministerial appointment.
�We also strongly advise Mr. President to consider representation of various militant groups in the constitution of the Ministry�s executives.
� For one to fight for his right implies that he is pained and could know how to solve his problems; it is highly irrational that we talk of peace without involving the various bodies that represent the voices of the people,�they said.
They further hinged their argument on the fact that those who had been occupying positions in the past never helped the cause of the region.
The Federal Government Wednesday created the Ministry of Niger Delta to coordinate its developmental activities for the region.
The Niger Delta Watchdog which consists of four major militant groups in the region while applauding the president over the creation of the Ministry, said he must avoid the temptation of giving preference to individuals from the region to recommend somebody to head the ministry.
The groups are Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND), Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force (NDPVF) and the Reformed Grand Alliance of Niger Delta (GRAND).
The creation of the ministry, according to the the militant groups, is a genuine intention to bring development to the region.
“We heartily thank Mr President Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar�Adua for showing great concern to the plight of the Niger Delta people by creating the Ministry of Niger Delta. We have always believed in his stance to address the problems confronting our region, we also know that he has a lot to offer to our people.”
The statement was signed by representatives of the four major groups making up Watchdog of Niger Delta, Damiete Davies (MEND), Tarike Peters (IYC), Gen Okara (NDPVF) and Sam Ebiye (GRAND).
The statement reads in part: “We strongly advise Mr. President to acknowledge the fact that for the program he has for Niger Delta to succeed he must look into the issue of corrupt public office holders in the region, especially that of Rivers State.
“He should avoid the temptation of giving preference to any individual from the Niger Delta region to recommend somebody for the post of the Minister to The Ministry of Niger Delta. Niger Delta Governors should not also be given the chance of making recommendations for appointments to the Ministry, because they have failed to perform.
“Rather than nominating credible individuals, they will nominate their likes whom at the end of the day, because of their corrupt tendencies would jeopardize the effort of Mr President while also killing the expectations of the Niger Delta people.
“Mr. President should scout for good representation through any means but not through any past or present political office holder. We don�t need any past or present commissioner, Chairman, Ministers, senators, House of Reps member, House of Assembly member, Governors. They are all involved in making our region the way it is.
“We also strongly advise Mr. President to consider representation of various militant groups in the constitution of the Ministry�s executives. For one to fight for his right implies that he is pained and could know how to solve his problems; it is highly irrational that we talk of peace without involving the various bodies that represent the voices of the people.”