Presidential Research & Communications Unit

The Presidential Coordinating Committee on Niger Delta met on Wednesday February 3, under the chairmanship of Vice President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, at the State House, Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The meeting reviewed the amnesty programme against the background of recent developments and emphasised that it is on course. While urging the people of the region to exercise patience with the process, the committee stated that the perceived sluggishness in the programme has,
among other things, to do with the normal gestation period associated with major infrastructure projects.

The apex committee noted that the leadership of the key militant groups have been brought on board the planning and execution stages of the process. Currently their views are being harmonised with those of government, and as soon as that process is complete, the programme would be fully up and running.

The committee drew attention to the inauguration of five sub committees by the Vice President aimed at kick-starting the programme proper. They are the Sub Committee on modalities for the involvement of Host Communities in the ownership of Petroleum Assets in Nigeria; the sub committee on infrastructural development; the environmental clean up and remediation sub committee; the disarmament, rehabilitation and re-integration sub committee, and the oil and gas assets protection sub committee.

The apex committee noted with satisfaction that the sub committees were already meeting and working on the relevant aspects of the programme according to their individual terms of reference.