TheCable

Femi Gbajabiamila, speaker of the house of representatives, says “finger-pointing and blame-shifting” will not solve the problems of the Niger Delta region.

Speaking during a teleconference on Post COVID-19 Petroleum Agenda for Nigeria (PoCoPAN) on Thursday, Gbajabiamila said until “honest conversations” are held on the issues confronting the region, nothing tangible would be achieved.

The conference was organised by OrderPaper Nigeria in collaboration with the house of representatives committee on Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and the Nigeria Natural Resource Charter (NNRC).

Last year, President Muhammadu Buhari ordered an audit into the finances of the NDDC owing to the poor infrastructural development in the region.

The audit was followed up by probes by both chambers of the national assembly. The senate and house probed the interim management committee of the commission for allegedly mismanaging N40 billion and N81.5 billion respectively.

The speaker said the failure of policy has led to socio-economic and environmental devastation in the region.

“The Niger Delta of Nigeria has contributed a great deal to our country and continue to do so over time. Yet the conditions of the Niger Delta do not reflect the significant contributions in human and material resources,” the number four citizen said in a recorded speech shared at the conference.

“All of us as leaders and citizens alike are obliged to resolve this political and moral failing by any means available to us. But we cannot achieve the changes we desire in the Niger Delta until we are ready to have honest conversations about the reason why things are the way they are.

“So long as the discussion about development and lack thereof are exercises in finger-pointing and blame-shifting, nothing of substance will be done to improve the circumstances of our brethren in that region.

“That is not to say there isn’t enough blame to go round, the failure of policy and polity, that have caused the economic social and environmental devastation we have seen in the region.”

The speaker commended OrderPaper Nigeria for the PoCoPAN initiative and said the lower legislative chamber would be interested in the recommendations from the conference.

“I am aware that this conference is supposed to build on the Post Covid-19 Petroleum Agenda for Nigeria designed and implemented by OrderPaper Nigeria,” he said.

“I salute the committee on Niger Delta affairs and all the partners who have committed to work together to achieve a new Niger Delta. I implore you to do so within the shortest possible time.”