Yar’ Adua: N’Delta Problem to End Soon
From Josephine Lohor in Abuja, 08.03.2007
President Umaru Yar’ Adua has said the problem in the Niger Delta region will soon be over. The consultation and discussion between his government and leaders as well as militant groups in the area will help to restore normalcy to the region, he said.
The President spoke yesterday when he received German Foreign Minister, Dr. Frank-Walter Steinmeier, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
This assurance came on the heels of a meeting at The Hague, Netherlands between the Federal Government and some Niger Delta governors with United States and Britain over the need to secure the oil rich Gulf of Guinea.
“For the first time, we got all leaders of the militant groups to meet with government and with one another, to chart a course for peace and normalcy in the Niger Delta, address the agitations and consider the implementation of the master plan,” President Yar’ Adua told the visiting envoy.
He said his administration's efforts “will improve security in the Niger Delta and the Gulf of Guinea."
The incidence of hostage taking and other militant activities has gone unabated in the Niger Delta in recent times.
Apart from getting the Vice president, Dr. Jonathan Goodluck, to move to the area to coordinate government activities to halt the crisis, the Federal Government has also formally written to invite former Bayelsa State governor, Chief Diepreye Alameyei-segha, to be part of the peace efforts in the area.
The President challenged the German envoy to get his country to take advantage of the steps taken by his government to check the security situation in the region to come and invest in the country.
“We have appointed a minister to take charge of gas, because we believe it can play a major part in meeting our energy needs and we invite you to invest in this, “he said.
Yar’ Adua also restated his earlier promise to institute reforms in the nation’s electoral process in view of the allegations that the general elections fell below international standards.
He promised to “bequeath a high quality electoral process” to Nigeria when he leaves office, The President added that he would achieve this by using "honourable Nigerians of high integrity, (and) who have reputations to protect" to carry out a comprehensive electoral reform.
The German foreign minister, in his earlier speech, praised the existing cordial relationship between Nigeria and Germany and expressed optimism that this would be strengthened by the impending signing of the Investment Protection Agreements between the two countries.
Steinmeier said Germany had a lot to offer Nigeria in the energy sector and pledged to mobilize German investors to Nigeria.
He invited President Yar’ Adua to attend the European-African summit scheduled to hold in Portugal later this year.
