Nigeria is unfair to Niger Delta – Bankole

Nigeria is unfair to Niger Delta – Bankole

The real war of N/Delta has just begun – Namadi Sambo

The Speaker of House of Representative Honorable Dimeji Bankole has said that Nigeria is unfair to Niger Delta as the resources that develops Nigeria comes from that region while Niger Delta is the most undeveloped region in Nigeria.

The Speaker who made the statement during the Post- Amnesty Confidence Building Measure in Kaduna state organized by the Bayelsa State Government lamented on the high rate of corruption in Niger Delta saying the amount of funds been invested in Niger Delta still there is no positive result.

“The economy that Nigeria runs on, what Nigeria the Giant of Africa come from Niger Delta but not a single building or the flyover bridge found in Abuja is Niger Delta; sincerely speaking Nigeria is unfair to Niger Delta.”

Bankole, who gave the statistics that budget of Niger Delta at the state level is about 1.3 Trillion while the Budget of Nigeria is 3 trillion yet no development is been found in the region and no one is giving account of the money spent on Niger Delta.

“30% of crude oil and 65% of gas comes from Niger Delta, the beneficiary states are well developed while the producing state looks like a war zone. With the rate of funds been invested in that region it is supposed to be a heaven on earth but rather it gets worst by the day.”

In his welcome address, His Excellency the Executive Governor of Kaduna state, Namadi Sambo congratulated His Excellency the President of Nigeria, Umaru Musa Yar’adua and called him a Field Marshal.

“His Excellency the President of Nigeria, Umaru Musa Yar’adua has won a war without gun and shading of blood, he has shown that dialogue is the best way to resolve conflicts which only comes from a true leader and a great thinker.

While speaking the Governor said that now the militants have dropped their weapons and agreed to the amnesty deal a new future awaits Niger Delta and this time the main war await them.

“As the Militants have yielded to amnesty a war awaits Niger Delta, a war of Development, a war of clearing the oil from their land, and a war of building infrastructures but I strongly believe that the Federal Government will fulfill their words and will not leave the region to her fate.”

The Kaduna state Governor said that Kaduna state is always behind the Federal Government and give her support for the betterment of Niger Delta and called on the public to embrace dialogue saying “the era of war and violent have ended, at any rate dialogue is better than conflict.”

Commenting further, His Excellence the Executive Governor of Bayelsa state, Temipre Syler outlining the challenges faced by in Niger Delta said no one could give account of the living standard of Niger Delta except you have been there.

“The challenges in Niger Delta region are much and unless one visits the area you cannot have the understanding of what we are talking about. The rivers have been polluted and the lands have been infertile due to the oil that is in the land and no one is making any move until now.”

Syle admitted the fact that acts of the militant has done a lot of harm; he stated as well, if you were in the region, you would do more. He said with the amnesty program hope, trust and confidence will be restored in Nigeria.

To this end, The Speaker of House of Representative, Dimeji Bankole said he is looking forward to the day where the state House of Assembly will have the power to ask its government officers to give account on how they spend the funds allocated to their state.

“Everyone blames the Niger Delta and the Federal Government but the question is where and how is the funds been allocated to Niger Delta is spent. What is happening in Niger Delta is of no difference of what is happening in other states but the difference is that Niger Delta has chosen to fight for their right as no single development of the fund been allocated to the state is provided.”

“Oil will not give Nigeria the solutions to her problems; Nigeria should forget the development of the oil sector, as no one could account for the money been spent neither does the money gets to the grass root. We have been unfair to Niger Delta, Anambra state and the North, where are the heroes who fought for the independence of Nigeria from Anambra state, Anambra state indigenes are all over the government they should arise and fight for their right.”

The Speaker calls on the North to intervene stating that no process in Nigeria will progress without the North been involved. He said when Niger Delta will ask of the account of the funds been spent on the region people should remember he spoke about it in Kaduna state