The failure of the presidential amnesty programme to address the root cause of militancy has been blamed for the resurgence of attacks on oil installations in the Niger Delta.
A study titled, “Post-Amnesty Conflict Management Framework in the Niger Delta,” conducted by the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Port Harcourt, has warned that the removal of 10 per cent equity share for oil producing communities contained in the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) would further exacerbate the conflict in the Niger Delta.
While making the report public, the dean of the faculty, Prof. Okey Onuchukwu, observed that while the goal of the presidential amnesty programme was aimed at stabilising the region to ensure full-scale oil production, government failed to address the root cause of the agitation that led to militancy in the first place and only applied cosmetic measures.
Onchukwu pointed out that by not addressing the core issues that gave rise to militancy, it left open the possibility of another batch of frustrated and angry youths to capitalise on the age-long grievances of the region to destroy critical oil installations, which has resulted in the decline of revenue accruable to government.
He further explained that the study discovered that poor attention paid to the reintegration of ex-militants into their communities and the often-smouldering dissatisfaction with the presidential amnesty in the Niger Delta have continued to create tension.
According to him, “the presidential amnesty programme did not remove any of the trigger for violence, which still remains alive in the Niger Delta and needs to be managed. Perhaps, more could have been realised if the communities and their local leaders and institutions were integrated as critical stakeholders into the process of formulating and implementing the presidential amnesty programme.”
He urged the Federal Government to discontinue the monthly payment of N65,000 to ex-militants, saying it is drain on the economy. Rather, it should embark on massive infrastructural development that impacts on the people and the environment.
“The money the ex-militants are paid is not as a result of production of goods and services and this is dangerous for the economy,” he stated.
“The income will be meaningful in the economy if it is generated as a result of proper economic activity. When you just give people money without doing anything, you are not helping the economy. You are also not helping the individuals because they will definitely begin to depend on that. What if there is a stop in the flow, it means they will go back to what they were doing before.
“Ex-militants were trained without any need assessment. Which economic activity do they want to engage in before you can train them? Such critical questions were not asked. It not enough to take people to South Africa or Europe to train them on pipeline welding for three months. There is no way you can be an expert within this short time. Some of them are half balked. So, we suggest a holistic review of the entire amnesty programme.”
The university don then urged the amnesty office to collaborate with the various state amnesty offices in the Niger Delta in order to end militancy.
According to him, “The synergy has become imperative if peace must be restored in the Niger Delta.”
The report cautioned government against removing the 10 per cent equity share contained in the PIB. It pointed out that if government removes the 10 per cent, it would not only create the perception that the government not sensitive to the problems of the Niger Delta, but also provide a basis for further unrest in the region.
On his part, Dr. Sofiri Peterside, stressed that the prevailing political contestations in some states might further worsen militant conflict in the Niger Delta if not properly handled.
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