S-South, S-East lawmakers to Buhari: You can’t tame N’Delta militants, except you dialogue

.Reject proposed grazing bill

Lawmakers from the South-South and South-East on Wednesday urged President Muhammadu Buhari to dialogue with Niger Delta militants in order to end attacks on oil installations in the region, adding that use of force will not tame the militants.

The decision of the lawmakers reached at a resolution of a joint session of States Houses of Assembly in the South-South and South-East, presided over by Mr. Monday Igbuya, also urged the Federal Government to negotiate with the militants genuinely and drop all efforts to pursue the grazing bill.

On “insurgence in the Niger Delta region, the lawmakers said the Federal Government should reassess and revisit the performance of the amnesty programme, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), report and hydrocarbon pollution restoration project with a view to strengthening grey areas and improve plantations.

The lawmakers further urged Federal Government to enter into peaceful dialogue with principal stakeholders in the South-South and South-East in resolving the dispute and operate with the rule of engagement (ROE) without incurring collateral damage as akin to the Odi massacre of November 4, 1999.

They urged the National Assembly to, as a matter of extreme urgency and importance, ensure the accelerated passage of the Petroleum Industry bill (PIB) as it addresses salient issues fanning the embers’ of militancy in the region.

As regards the proposed grazing reserves bill and activities of the herdsmen in the geo-political zones, the lawmakers urged the various Houses of Assembly in the two geo-political zones to pass bills restricting cattle rearing through farmlands thereby causing damages to farmlands, health hazards and obstruction of vehicular and human traffic and to reject the proposed bill to establish and control grazing routes and reserves before the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly.

While decrying the low and un-proactive response of the Federal Government in tackling herdsmen insurgence, they urged the presidency to step into action and direct the security agencies in the country to brace up and to be alive to their constitutional responsibility of protecting lives and property from the hands of the marauding herdsmen.

They urged the state governments in the two geo-political zones to establish special taskforces drawn from the various security agencies and neighbourhood watches in each local government to checkmate the excesses of herdsmen and prosecute them.

Meanwhile, the Delta State House of Assembly has approved for second reading, the Delta State Agricultural and Rural Development Authority Law 2006 (amendment) Bill, 2016 referring it to the House Committee on Agriculture, headed by the member representing Ethiope East Constituency, Hon. Evance Ivwurie for reports.

Debating the motion which has unanimously accepted, after moving it, the Minority Leader and member representing Isoko North Constituency, Hon. Tim Owhefere said that the bill is set to ensure the integration of agricultural programmes into development programmes.

He said: “The bill sought to bring in a new section four to make provisions for a chairman, a director from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture to boost synergy between the states and Federal Government and give room for one representative from the three senatorial districts of the state. It is set to get everybody involved in the farming business and has the capacity to see to the efficiency of agricultural programmes.”

The member representing Ughelli North Constituency I, Hon. Samuel Mariere, said that the bill is in line with the steps of the state government to give reality to agricultural goals.

While the member representing Ika North East, Hon. Tony Elekeokwuri said the bill seeks to improve agricultural efforts, thus reducing cost of agriculture.