The Senate yesterday expressed concern to President Olusegun Obasanjo over the insecurity in the Niger Delta region.
This was contained in a motion moved by Senator John Azuta Mbata (Rivers State), which was unanimously endorsed by the Senators.
In the motion, the upper house also urged the President to �apply a political solution through an engagement process involving all the stakeholders and the leaders, including those that are presently incarcerated with a view to finding a lasting solution to the problem.�
Besides, the Senate resolved that the Nigerian police should be better equipped and motivated to handle the issues of criminality, banditry and lawlessness. The Senate further resolved that the Federal Government should accelerate the provision of infrastructure and development in the area.
In moving the motion, Mbata had invoked Orders 42 and 52 of the senate standing rules on matters of urgent public importance.
He had drawn the attention of the Senate to what he called �deteriorating security situation and the escalating threat to the peace, safety of lives and property in the Niger Delta area.�
He continued: �The Senate is further invited to note the increasing adverse effect that the situation could have on the Nigerian economy, particularly with levels of oil production, foreign exchange earnings, declining foreign investments and other attendant budgetary implications.
Meanwhile, the Senate yesterday passed the Niger Delta Development Commission (Establishment) Amendment Bill into law.
The passage followed the clause-by-clause consideration in the Committee of the Whole. The Senate rejected the amendment proposed by the Executive, which sponsored the Bill, to cut its contribution to the NDDC down to 10 per cent from 15 per cent.
It also rejected the amendment to cut down oil companies� contribution to the Commission from 3 per cent to 2 per cent. The Senate retained the provisions in the Act, a development, which the Chairman of the Senate Committee on NDDC, Senator Patrick Osakwe (Delta North) said would bolster the financial position of the Commission.
He said the problem of the Commission was funding and pleaded to relevant authorities mandated by law to contribute to the Commission to fulfill their obligations to enable the Commission to continue to impact positively on the lives of the people. Also yesterday the first reading of the Economic and Financial Crimes (Establishment) Amendment Bill was taken through the first reading (the reading of the Bill�s short title).
The Senate also confirmed the nomination of Alhaji Aliyu Muhammad from Sokoto State as Commissioner representing the State in the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC).
This was consequent upon the report of the Senate Committee on National Planning, Economic Affairs and Poverty Alleviation headed by Senator Gbemisola Saraki (Kwara State), which was presented and laid on the table of the Senate for consideration and confirmation of the nominee.
�The Senate is reminded of the continuing degradation of the environment and the ecology of the area owing to oil and gas exploration, the general poverty level due to lack of subsistence employment opportunities in fishing and farming, arising from pollution of farmlands, lakes and rivers.
�The accumulated neglect and insensitivity of the Federal and State Governments and the major oil exploration companies to the plight of the people particularly in the face of enhanced global oil prices, income and prosperity.�
Mbata had stressed the need for the Senate to nip in the bud the emerging despondency and desperation of the people of the area, �which is being given expression through militant/armed struggle,� adding, �Increasingly unemployed youths have resorted to this mode of expression of the legitimate aspirations of the people to share in the prosperity generated from their environment.
�This is the immediate cause of the escalating insecurity situation (and) government must act quickly to address the legitimate aspirations of the people in order to separate it from criminality and banditry.�
Senators Ifeanyi Araraume (Imo State), David Mark (Benue State) and Felix Ibru (Delta State), among others, spoke in support of the motion.
But Senator Mark cautioned against resort to militancy by the youth, saying that violence and hostage-taking would not augur well for infrastructural development in the region. He observed that the leaders were not helping matters, saying that, �When they come to Abuja for meetings, their presentations do not reflect the reality of the situation on ground back there in the region.�