PAULINE ONYIBE 
Both the militants and host communities are angry over developments in the exploitation and exploration of oil from the Niger Delta. PAULINE ONYIBE, in Yenagoa, reports that the problems of the area appear not to be ending soon enough
A peaceful time
They had once calmed down, especially with the introduction of Amnesty Programme, coupled with the belief that their brother was the president. The whole Niger Delta region was at peace, not because the people were comfortable with the level of development of the region as the financial base of the nation but because for them, they have to give their own peace to reign without any crisis. So, all through the reign of former President Goodluck Jonathan, there was no disruption of oil activities.
Dissatisfaction begins again
Of course, the story of the people of Niger Delta is always a pathetic one, considering the low level of development which honestly is not commensurate with the amount of money being extracted from the oil deposits in the area. Since the oil belongs to the whole country while other mineral resources like gold belongs to their various states, the youth, after the tenure of their brother may be spoiling for war again. Not even comfortable with the happenings around the region, there is a threat to even stop the Amnesty Programme.
The leader of reformed Niger Delta Avengers, Johnmark Ezonebi, had angrily told New Telegraph that, “they are paying the amnesty people N65,000. What is N65,000 compared to the billions and trillions of naira they are collecting from our oil revenue from our communities day in, day out. “And then, these funds will now be managed by a group called NNPC, where the lowest salary earner, even the cleaner is bigger than the amnesty peanut.
“They are not doing anything for somebody to say he resumed work from eight o’clock to four o’clock, staying in the office. And just for twenty something days, excluding Sundays and he is collecting millions of naira with well-furnished offices.
“Then, they will be provided with exotic cars with our oil money and you are now saying that because peanut of N65,000 that is being given to the people that own the oil, then you that call yourselves elders will now sit down and agree that they should call off Amnesty Programme. It is a shame. “The truth is that you cannot totally rule out the issue of resumption of militancy in the region, when things are done in wrong manner.
“When things are done in animalistic manner; when there is no good governance; when the people of the region are taken for granted. After the long suffering, rejected and neglected, when the oil community and gas producing people are suffering.
“The environmental pollution and degradation that is dealing with the from their backyard? Over 1.4 million barrels of crude oil is collected from their backyard on daily basis and nothing to show for it? “You cannot write it off that these people are in darkness with mosquito bites. You don’t expect them to be happy. Amnesty is never a panacea to stop militancy in the Niger Delta region.
“Anybody that is calling for an end to amnesty programme, that is when you will see entire revolution and bunch of arms that will emanate from the creeks and it will be very uncontrollable and there will be no direction. It will cause the economy of the country to crumble.
“President Buhari meant well for the Amnesty Programme for him to extend it because the Amnesty Programme has time limit when the late President Umaru Yar’Adua said it should be stopped. It is supposed to end by 2015 but Buhari came and extended and even gazetted it to the National Assembly, so that it will be recognized under the Federal Government.
“Our so called ex-militant leaders have turned the amnesty office to their farmland and they don’t have any meaningful input or direction for the Amnesty Programme. “We are saying that the programme should continue. Let the president think of how to improve the pogramme, instead of the termination. “Whenever he enters meeting with the National Security Adviser, he should not be thinking of terminating the programme.
Rather, he should look at how he can collaborate with the Ministry of Niger Delta, NDDC and PDTF to see that there should be reintegration, skill acquisition, training and more orientation programme that will go beyond the ex-militants.
“It is only the ex-militants that the Amnesty Programme should be focused on. It should go beyond the ex-militants engaging of stakeholders and incorporating more youths of the Niger Delta, including the women that are suffering in the creeks.
“Those women are the ones that suffer more during crisis. Tell them to open cooperatives and begin to empower them from one state to another. “For the South South governors, they are shouting for equity and justice but they have not been paying the 13 per cent derivation funds they have been collecting to the host communities and you are talking about equity and justice.
“Bayelsa State refused to establish BASOPADEC and even Governor Nyesom Wike too. So, what are they shouting about? They are shouting about true federalism. It means that what belongs to A’ should be given to A’.
Now, the 13 per cent oil and gas money that belongs to the host communities, you are hijacking it and you are talking of true federalism.” He stated. Anyway, because the whole oil pollution and all the environmental hazards are always felt by the locals that are supposed to be the beneficiaries of the 13 per cent oil derivation fund but are not seeing any impact of that funds, the host communities have been crying foul.
Host Communities seek a share
It has made them to form groups like Host Communities of Nigeria producing oil and gas (HOSTCOM). With this group, some demands are being placed on the Federal Government and on the state governors, who have sat on the derivation fund for long. Although some states have established commissions to interface with the host communities like DESOPADEC, ISOPADEC, OSUPADEC, states such as Bayelsa and Rivers are yet to establish such commissions while they have been mismanaging the 13 per cent derivation funds without anything to show for it. But things seem to be taking a drastic shape recently as unidentified persons attacked oil facilities operated by Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) and Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) at Ikarama community, Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa, damaging the pipelines. Aside that, there have reported cases of uproar between the host communities and the oil companies in some parts of the region. Ironically that doesn’t help matters most of the times.
Crisis in HOSTCOM
But the host communities also seem not to be in unity as they have come up with different groups with the same agenda, which is to better the lots of the host communities but with leadership tussle always making even the oil companies and the Federal Government to take them for granted as they were being addressed as not being united in many fora as revealed by the National Chairman of Host Communities of Nigeria Producing Oil and Gas, Benjamin Style. Such occasion arose recently when a set of individuals under the auspices of HOSTCOM planned to have the association’s AGM at Port Harcourt without the coordination of the national president of the group, Benjamin Style. The national chairman of HOSTCOM however quickly called the attention of the leaders of Niger Delta, according to him, including Pa E.K. Clark to alert them. Style also warned the public to disregard that group, which he called unpatriotic individuals, whom he said, went on the pages of the newspapers to call for fictitious AGM meeting on behalf of HOSTCOM. In a press statement he issued to newsmen recently and made available to New Telegraph, the HOSTCOM national president said that there was no known organization by the name HOSTCON, maintaining that the group was impersonating by using the name of the duly recognized association for illegality. The statement read that by extension, the group was causing insecurity concerns and to threaten the Federal Government in disguise. The statement read: “It is disheartening and jaw breaking that those expected to maintain sanity and decorum as elder statesmen are the ones fueling the embers of disintegration and unity, all in the name of Gas flare penalty fund through conspiracy, impersonation and to cause disunity amongst members of the Host Communities of Nigeria and by extension, the entire country of Nigeria. “We need the general public and relevant government agencies to note that there is no leadership rift in our organization, HOSTCOM, as it is duly registered with CAC and has a structured National leadership tenure for its executives. “That the initial leadership tussle in the organization was laid to rest by the Judgment of the Oba of Benin, which was followed by court judgment that confirmed the leadership and legal Board of Trustees with patent rights of High Chief Benjamin Style Tamanarebi (JP). “That HOSTCOM is a noble and famous grassroots institution, devoid of criminal tendencies. We will resist any form of intimidation by few individuals and cannot be allowed to be used by any group or groups of persons to use HOSTCOM in disguise to perpetuate criminality and militancy. “That HOSTCOM will join forces with Federal Government for Host Communities’ sustainable development, to curb bunkering, crude oil theft, pipeline vandalism, kidnapping and social vices. “That Michael Emuh, King Diete Spiff, Chief Wellington Okirika, Chief Jasper Jumbo and others are not registered members of the Board of Trustees of HOSTCOM with registration No. 23281; therefore lack the jurisdiction and the capacity to speak for host communities or trade with the name, Host Communities. “They are impersonating and a threat to the Federal Government to cause a breach of peace in the Niger Delta. “Michael Emuh was PRO of Late Chief Alfred Bubor’s executive committee and was removed and a disclaimer placed on him due to criminal activities of scamming people in disguise of cooperative loans, modular refinery, pipeline surveillance jobs. “It is repugnant and against natural justice that a faceless group would ridicule highly respected, noble and credible monarchs and elder statesmen such as the Oba of Benin, who is the life Patron, His Eminence, King Dr Emund M Daukoru, FICCON, MEINGI XII Amayanabo of NEMBE as Board Chairman, Chief E.K Clark as Grand Patron, HRM King Owong Bassey Achianga, TROMPCON CHAIRMAN/ Board of Trustees HOSTCOM to mention but a few. “The usage and publication of unapproved names of some of the highly respected and noble monarchs, kings and elder statesmen for nefarious, self-centered interest and activities in the region due to the Gas flare penalty fund is despicable in all ramification. “We believe the Federal Government recognizes the need for peace, socio-economic and infrastructural development, alternative livelihood solutions, diversification of the economy of the region and the urgent need for a coherent Niger Delta Developmental Action Plan. “More so, ensure that Host Communities of Nigeria Producing Oil and Gas (HOSTCOM) are engaged in the decision making process of the regulatory boards and authorities of the oil and gas industries and investment. “No patriotic Niger Delta citizen in any pressure group or those in elective positions should play politics with the socio-economic and infrastructural development, alternative livelihood to disenfranchise HOSTCOM as a result of the gas flare penalty funds.” The statement read. And the disunity continues among the host communities. With the disagreement always among the leaders of the oil producing communities, the oil companies and the Federal Government will always have a field day while the oil majors will just single out some of the leaders to settle with contracts and leave the rest locals to lick their wounds.
