N’Delta youth renew threat to blow up oil and gas installations as elders urge restraint, patience

Amaka Agbu, Port Harcourt

The Pan Niger Delta Elders Forum (PANDEF) has appealed to the militants in the region to exercise restraint and patience as the forum was currently working with the federal government to develop the area.

PANDEF said the appeal became necessary because it was worried about the threats by different militant groups in the Niger Delta to resume joint attacks on oil and gas installations in the region, following the refusal of the Senate to approve the restructuring of the country and its attendant devolution of economic powers to the state governments.

The group insisted that the outcome of its negotiation with the federal government would positively change the tide of the events, saying that the Federal Government was committed to developing the oil-rich Niger Delta region.

The group made the statement yesterday, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, while briefing newsmen on the fourth General Assembly of the body where it dismissed claims that the group was slow in its dealing with federal government.

The Rivers State Leader of PANDEF and Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the Forum’s Conference, Alabo Tonye Graham-Douglas, pleaded with the Niger Delta agitators to be patient with the elders, as they were work out ways of ensuing better life for the youths.

Graham-Douglas noted that the Federal Government had taken into consideration, the development of the region, adding that some of the issues in the 16-point demands presented to the Federal Government, were being given attention.

The PANDEF Leader, a former Minister of Labour and Minister of Sports, stated that it was wrong for youths in the region to say that no attention had been given to the development in the region.

He pointed out that the Bodo-Bonny road, which the Federal Government flagged off recently, was part of the demands of the Forum.

He dispelled insinuations by youth groups in the region that PANDEF was docile in the issue of development, stressing that development was a gradual process, adding, “PANDEF is not slow in its dealings with the Government. What you consider our perceived slowness is designed to achieve the desired result.”

Chief Graham-Douglas emphasised: “Our youths thought we were not active enough in bringing the needed result from the Federal Government. But, we are working actively to bring development to the region.

“We, the elders, have been proactive to the development of this region and the Federal Government has shown commitment to our 16-point demand. The Federal Government is showing that it has listening ears.

“The Bodo-Bonny road is among our demands and the Federal Government has flagged it off. The University at Gbaramatu Kingdom, which was cancelled, has been reinstated and all these are in our demands. It means that the Federal Government is serious,” he stated.

The former Minister assured: “We are only calling on our youths to be patient with us. We are already working out the development of the region. We are elders and cannot mortgage their future. Our slowness does not mean we are not working. Rather, we are slow with the Federal Government in order to achieve results.”