Govt, Militants to Sign Peace Pact Today
From Segun James in Yenagoa, 12.06.2007
Vice President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan will tomorrow visit Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital to witness the formal signing of a peace pact between representatives of various militant groups, oil companies operating in the Niger Delta and government, an action that will signal the end of hostilities along the cre eks.
The state Governor, Chief Timipre Sylva disclosed this at the opening ceremony of the Massive Awareness Campaign on Peace (MACOP), organised by the Niger Delta Peace and Conflict Committee held at the Gloryland Cultural Centre, Yenagoa yesterday.
Sylva said the signing of the peace pact between the government and the militant organizations will mark a formal end to agitations in the creek and as such, any act of kidnapping, vandalism and harassment would henceforth be treated as criminal a ct .
Tracing the genesis of militancy to the last decade, Sylva lamented that the problem was at its peak in May 2007 when he was sworn in as Governor.
“Where we are today is not where we started. Today marks the beginning of the final phase of peace process in the state.” He enthused, adding that Bayelsa is relatively peaceful now than it was.
The Governor was also excited about the return of oil companies to the area. “Oil companies operating in the state are now operating in a relax atmosphere as there is no longer threat of war nor reported cases of kidnapping and related social vices.”
He said that all the militants groups operating from the Creeks have already endorsed the peace pact as the signing is just a formality.
“They said that they are ready to give peace a chance in the state. After the signing of the peace pact tomorrow the state will no longer experience any act of hostage taking and other related social v ices.”
He commended the peace initiative of President Umaru Yar’Adua led administration, saying that the state is now enjoying relative peace compared to the situation they met in May.
‘With this, Bayelsa state will cease to be the headquarters of militancy in the country; rather it will henceforth become the capital of peace in the country.
In the lecture he delivered, the National Chairman of the Niger Delta Peace and Conflict Committee, titled : Role of Stakeholders in Sustaining Peace Initiatives in the Niger Delta—Bayelsa Question, Senator David Brigidi said for the sustenance of peace in the region , the vicious circle of poverty, economic injury and political grievance must be b roken.
The vicious cycle, according to him could only be broken through creation of employment opportunities and other economic opportunities that can nurture and sustain fragile peace a rrangements.
To achieve the peace arrangement, he highlighted the expected roles of all the stakeholders including the government at all the three tiers, the oil companies, the host community and the respective youths in the r egion.
