SAN FRANCISCO, December 05, (THEWILL) – The Head of EU Delegation in Nigeria, Ambassador Michel Arrion, has warned against the “militarization” of Nigeria’s Niger Delta, pointing out that the militancy in the restive region requires a multi-pronged approach situated within the global context.
Acknowledging the necessity of punishing those who break the law, he however stated that military option alone is not the solution to the crisis, insisting that a combination of economic, political and military response was the best panacea to militancy.
Arrion gave this advice at the weekend when he visited the Executive Chairman, Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, in Abuja.
He said: “I believe that what is happening in the Niger Delta deserves a global response and a global approach. I do believe that ‘one size does not fit all’. I don’t think a military response or an economic response or political response alone would be sufficient. We need probably the three components of the global response. So, as EU, we are involved in all those dimensions of the Niger Delta issues, politically, economically and also socially.
“We are at the disposal of the Nigerian authorities to support any kind of political process. We are also here with external assistance and in the longer term to look at the possibility of European investment in the region. But no investors will come where there is insecurity, without roads or electricity. So, we need all those things fixed in consistent manner. I was really delighted to hear from the chairman (of NDDC) that one of the priorities is to look at the masterplan.
“We will see it. What is the plan and how can we work together to transform it into an action-plan where Nigeria will play the first role? The international community can support or complement that.”
In his response, the NDDC Chairman lamented the non-implementation of the 15-year master plan of the Niger Delta even 10 years after its implementation was supposed to have begun.
His words, “I believe you were here when I mentioned to his Excellency (Arrion) that the master plan that we have for the Niger Delta region is 10 years old and it has a life span of 15 years. It was envisaged for 15 years. Ten years into the plan, it has not been implemented.
“So, you need to first either revalidate or update, or you come up with a brand new plan. But there needs to be a framework for stakeholder engagement because all stakeholders must be part of that plan.
“The annual budget of the Niger Delta should just be an incremental step towards realizing an overall plan. But for now we have annual budgets that are not part of any plan.
“So, we must go back to a master plan. What kind of region do we envisage? What kind of region do we want to see in 10 years, in 15 years? And we begin to benchmark whatever we do to implement the plan,” Ndoma-Egba added.
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