“Niger Delta Group Denounces Federal Government’s Efforts, Rejects Amnesty Programme as Solution”
During the 56th Boro Day celebration, the Movement for the Survival of the Izon Ethnic Nationality in the Niger Delta (MOSIEND) expressed discontent with the perceived lack of tangible progress made by the Federal Government in addressing the issues facing the Niger Delta region. MOSIEND’s National President, Kennedy West, particularly criticized the Amnesty Programme for ex-agitators, dismissing it as insufficient to address the region’s challenges.
West emphasized that the Amnesty Programme was merely a concession made by agitators to lay down their arms, with the expectation that the government would prioritize development projects in the Niger Delta. However, he asserted that the government’s portrayal of the Amnesty Programme as an achievement was misleading, as it did not address the root causes of the region’s problems.
Furthermore, West called for a comprehensive approach to address the Niger Delta’s issues, highlighting the need for the government to fulfill the recommendations of past committees and to allocate operational rights in Oil Mining Leases (OML) to indigenous people of the region. He emphasized that pipeline surveillance, often cited as a concession to the Niger Delta, was insufficient, and that genuine empowerment and resource control were essential for addressing the region’s challenges.
Reflecting on the legacy of Isaac Adaka Boro, West underscored the enduring relevance of Boro’s demands for fiscal federalism and greater autonomy for resource-producing regions. He lamented the government’s historical neglect of these issues and called for a reevaluation of Nigeria’s federal structure to address the grievances of marginalized regions like the Niger Delta.
