ASABA – By Okiemute Okpomor In a bid to proffer lasting solutions to the resurgence of militancy in the Niger Delta, which has crippled oil production thus crippling the nation’s economy, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has called for an all-embracing dialogue that would involve all stakeholders, including foreign interests.
Okowa, Governor of Delta State made the call on Monday, when Mr. David Young, Deputy Chief of Mission, United States of America’s (USA) embassy in Nigeria paid him a courtesy visit in Asaba.
According to him “the oil companies, the federal government and all stakeholders should sit down and create the environment that will engender lasting peace in the Niger Delta. The more we dialogue, the more we are going to find solutions; it is unfortunate that we find ourselves in this situation because of the mono economy which is not good enough for the country.”
While disclosing that his administration was making several frantic efforts to ensure peace in the area as well as convince aggrieved parties to adopt dialogue, the governor emphasized, “it appears that we are beginning to see results and peace is returning to the region because we cannot have meaningful solutions through military approach; we are encouraging agitations by dialogue because, we can achieve greater success without destroying our economic facilities.”
Okowa expressed appreciation to the government of the USA for its interests in the affairs of Nigeria, especially in the area of achieving peace in the Niger Delta, saying that his administration was doing a lot to empower the youths through various skill acquisition programmes put in place by his administration for the benefit of the people.
Earlier, Mr. Young had told the governor that he was in the state as part of his fact-finding mission to the Niger Delta, stating, “the US believes that dialogue is very important in resolving grievances; we encourage Nigerians to exploit mechanisms for dialogue in moving forward,”
On hand with the governor to receive the US envoys was Deacon Kingsley Otuaro, Deputy Governor of Delta State.
