Niger Delta, RNDA Commend Agege On His Stand For Establishment Of 13 Percent Derivation Trust Fund For Oil Producing Communities

Coalition of Militant groups in the nine states of the Niger Delta region under the aegis of Reformed Niger Delta Avengers (RNDA) have declared their total support for the Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege, over his comment on the alleged diversion of the 13 percent oil derivation funds by Governors of the oil producing states and the request for the establishment of 13 PERCENT DERIVATION Trust Funds for the oil producing communities in the creek.

The RNDA also declared support for the alleged moves by President Buhari and the National Assembly to checkmate the State Governors of the Niger Delta State on the 13 percent derivation fund with the establishment of a Coastal Rural 13 percent Derivation Development Agency to ensure direct funding of development and empowerment of youths with massive projects to the oil producing communities in the region.

According to the RNDA”, though the informed position on the misappropriation of the 13 percent derivation by State Governors is included in the 11-point demands of the militant groups to the Federal Government, the position of the Deputy Senate President is further affirmation that the Federal Government should review the key issues raised so far, the release of the gas flare penalty funds, the utilization of the 13 percent derivation funds, direct involvement of oil producing communities in the sharing of the funds and the involvement of the Host Communities (HOSTCOM) and the issue of pipeline surveillance security contract jobs and other key issues raised so far.

The RNDA, in a communique issued yesterday via electronic mail and signed by its General Commanding Officer, Major Gen. Johnmark Ezonebi also known along the creek as Obama, stated that despite the ongoing discussions entered into between the group, Stakeholders and traditional rulers from the region and the Federal Government over the declaration of the 21-day ultimatum issued in October, “it was agreed the agitating militant groups and the youths of the region should sheath their swords swallow their anger and allow the issues presented to President Buhari to all come out with a drastic solution to ameliorate the emancipated neglected suffering people of the region.”

The group revealed that the ongoing discussion with the Federal Government has led to a meeting between the Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege, the Minister of Niger Delta, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, the Senior Special Adviser to President on Niger Delta, Sen. Ita Eyang including the coordinator of the presidential Amnesty programme, Rtd Col Dikkio Milland with some serving Senators and House of Reps members from the region and some personalities from the presidency, ”to engage the delegation of leaders headed by High Chief Wallington Okrika the traditional Prime Minister of Gbaramatu kingdom in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State with Traditional rulers were led by HRM. King Diete Spiff the Amayanabor of Twon Brass with the leadership of HOSTCOM which is led by Dr. Prince Mike Emuh and the representative of the dreaded RNDA Militant group.

“At the meeting, the deputy Senate president on behalf of the federal government reassured the delegation of dialogue headed by High Chief Wallington Okrika and HRM Diete Spiff that all the key critical issues raised by them will not be thrown into the dustbin and that the release of the gas flair penalty funds will be addressed and also the 13 percent derivation funds that is hanging and ends in the hands of the Niger Delta State Governors instead of the funds to go directly to the oil producing communities that are suffering from the oil exploitation and exploration activities in the creeks.”

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“The funds which was originally approved by the federal government to address the sufferings of the oil producing communities that is now being diverted by this Governors and allow the oil producing communities to be dejected to wallow in abject poverty in the region will be looked into critically and the federal government will set up 13 percent derivation trust fund or Coastal Ruyal 13 per cent derivation development agency will be established with a legislative backing in other to address this man-made perpetual injustice created by the governors of the Niger Delta and even the pipeline surveillance security contract job that is awarded to one individual alone will be also looked into and will be addressed and that the oil producing communities who are the host to the pipelines and host to the oil facilities will be engaged directly to protect and safeguard the pipelines in their doorsteps as well as other key issues raised so far by the dialogue team.

“Therefore the Deputy Senate President assured the dialogue team headed by High Chief Wallington Okrika and the traditional rulers led by HRM King Diete Spiff and the HOSTCOM National Chairman with Hon Prince Jude Tabai the son of Justice Tabai from the supreme Court who is the representative of the dreaded RNDA Militant group that president Muhammadu Buhari and the APC led federal government will not disappoint the people of the Niger Delta region in terms of addressing the under developmental challenges confronting the people of the region and urged the Deputy Senate President who is the political leader of the region not to fold his hands over in Abuja and keep quiet and watch the youths and the RNDA Militant group to resume any form of hostilities in the creek that is why he is reaching out to the leaders and the traditional rulers with the youths in the creek and call for dialogue and to engage the youths of the region that the country does not need such actions at the moment after coming out of the End SARS brouhaha and that he is appealing to the RNDA Militant group with the youths of the region to sheath their sword and maintain peace and that he will make sure all their grievances and demands raised and submitted will be addressed by the presidency and speed implementation will be out as soon as possible,” the Deputy Senate President added.

“To this end, the RNDA, with the coalition of the nine militant groups in the creek, want to salute the boldness and courage of the Deputy Senate President, who is the political leader of the Niger Delta region, for his productiveness, charismatic, patriotic resilience fearless leadership qualities which he has exhibited so far in handling issues of national interest for the peace unity and development of the Niger Delta region and the nation at large. The leadership of the RNDA is proud of his sound undeviating transparent leadership qualities in driving good governance to the nation and the region and the RNDA Militant group make bold to state that the leadership style of Sen. Ovie Omo agege is highly commendable and is incomparable and non to be recon with in the Niger Delta”.

The RNDA also appreciated the Hon Minister of Niger Delta Sen. Godswill Akpabio and the Senior Special Adviser to President on Niger Delta with the presidential Amnesty Programme Coordinator, Rtd Col Dikkio Milland for their various key roles they have played so far in putting much commitment and tireless efforts to address the issues raised and making themselves available to engage the stakeholders and the traditional rulers with the leadership of the HOSTCOM and representative of the RNDA Militant groups for the interest of peace and stability in the once trouble region. And the RNDA want to urged them to always put heads together with the Deputy Senate President, who is the political leader of the Niger Delta region, to address critical key issues confronting the people of the region.”

“RNDA called on them to try as much as possible to use their exalted offices to engage the stakeholders with youths of the Niger Delta region and roll out youth empowerment programmes and skill acquisition schemes to easy the sufferings of the youths in the creek of the region and they should always carry the youths of the Niger Delta along.

“RNDA, with the coalition of the nine Militant groups has reviewed the 21 days ultimatum declared so far in the creek and will soon come up with a breaking news after due consultations with the leadership of the dialogue team headed by High Chief Wallington Okrika the traditional prime minister of Gbaramatu kingdom and HRM King Diete Spiff with the national chairman of HOSTCOM, Dr. Prince Mike Emuh and the RNDA group representative who went to Abuja to enter into a dialogue peace meeting with the Deputy Senate President with some ministers of the region.”

The RNDA also pointed out that arising from the positive indication from the series of meetings between the Federal Government and the various stakeholders with the group, “ the RNDA may be forced to equally relaxed the ultimatum and will direct the Special Striking Force Unit’s to withdraw from all the targeted Shell Chevron and NNPC major oil platforms and the pipelines in the creek while waiting for the outcome of the next phase of meeting in Abuja this week, And we urge the Deputy Senate President to use his highly exalted respected Office to address all the key issues raised and presented before him so far because the people of the Niger Delta region has a lot of regards for him and their expectations are high and there is a lot of jubilations across the oil producing communities in the creek of the region due to his stand on the hijacked 13 PERCENT DERIVATION FUND’S in the hands of the Niger Delta State Governors and the release of the gas flair penalty funds to the Hostcom with the pipeline surveillance security contract job in the creek that is in the hand of one single individual therefore he should not breach the trust and confidence reposed on him by the people of the region”.