Only proper legislation can end the Niger Delta crisis – Uduaghan 
WARRI – Former Governor of Delta State, Dr.Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan has said that, there was no end in sight to the crisis in the Niger Delta region of the country, until adequate laws are put in place to address the issues in the region.
Dr. Uduaghan disclosed this during a chat with journalists in Warri.
According to Dr. Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan , most of the laws guiding the Niger Delta are not being followed.
“For example, there are a lot of laws guiding the Niger Delta. There are laws that say, you cannot break the pipelines , there are laws that say you cannot damage the environment, but many of these laws are buried.”
” There is a law that says that, if you abandon a contract the worst that can happen is that you refund the money. But I believe we should go beyond that, because a lot of contracts are being abandoned both at the state level and the federal levels.”
” If we look at the Niger Delta, because it is a critical area where projects need to be developed and have to be completed. I know I gave out projects that were not completed. Why are they not completed? Somebody is seizing my equipment for two years…like the case that happened in Ubeji. So, there has to be a law that it is not me now, that is the case facing the person but the case is between the person and the law.”
” So , we have to look at all these issues so that we can get an improvement on the issues that has to do with the Niger Delta.”
Decrying situations, where offenders are left off the hook because of who they know in the society , he said,
“Since this crisis started, how many people have been arrested, ? How many people have been prosecuted? How many? ” He queried.
He opined that, if adequate laws are put in place, the laws would have its course without sentiments, adding that, it is only the National Assembly that can look at these laws and package them in such a way and ensure that it is devoid of interference.
“Right now,, there is no law and order in the Niger Delta, and we need to come out and remind ourselves of the existing laws and tailor them towards the issues in the Niger Delta so that we can have permanent peace.
A law maker is to make laws, and that will be my cardinal point.”
Speaking further, the former governor said, he has the capacity to adequately represent the senatorial district because of the experience he had garnered over the years both as a Secretary to the State Government and as a governor. He said, he could easily lobby his friends and associates both in the National Assembly and the Executive to bring the dividends of democracy to his constituency. ”
Recalling some of his experiences in the creeks as a governor, he said,
” I was the first state govenment official to enter the creeks to meet with ex militants, to negotiate peace with them… I did it severally, some times, we would come back at night from negotiating peace.”
Dr. Uduaghan who said, he has been an active player on Niger Delta issue, however said, the people, especially the Niger Delta youths must be involved in bringing about the desired peace, since they know the terrain and all those that are involved in genuine agitation and those involved in any form of criminality more than any one else.
He emphasised on the need to look at ways of improving the income of the oil bearing an host communities just like is done in other climes like, Arizona and the Netherlands, where there are laws on how specified fraction of what is got goes to the host or oil bearing communities for their development.
The ex-governor who is of the Itsekiri extraction, affirmed that his ambition is not based on ethnicity, but rather on his desire at ensuring that his entire senatorial district gets their deserved dividends of democracy.
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