The Chairman, House committee on NDDC, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo has advised that the host communities in the Niger Delta should be given enough comfort to put an end to the vandalization of oil facilities in the region.
Tunji-Ojo made the appeal at a Town Hall meeting to address destruction of oil and gas infrastructure in the Niger Delta region organized by the ministry of Information in Abuja on Monday.
“The solution to vandalisation and restiveness is to give comfort to the host communities that produce the oil.
“When amnesty programme was not in place, we saw the level of vandalization. Now that amnesty is here, there is reduction in violence in the region.
“That tells you that the Niger Delta people are not hostile; they are peace loving people and not economic saboteurs.
“An average Niger-Deltan wants the progress of this country and want to be involved, happy and have a sense of belonging.
“The least share of the oil revenue any host community deserves is 5%. This is the belief of every Niger Deltan.”
Tunji-Ojo who is representing Akoko North East/North West at the Green chamber also implored all corporate organisations to contribute to the funding of National Orientation Agency, NOA.
He stressed that the presence of the NOA in all the 774 local government areas in the country is enough reason to fund the agency as it is closer to the people.
“I want to advise the ministry of information to take this event to the Niger Delta states. I will also like to say that the NOA has a lot of roles to play.
“The issue of value system is key in Nigeria and when we talk about security, vandalization and all these things are all interwoven.
“The national orientation agency needs a source of independence funding which I think the National Assembly must look into so that they will have enough funds to be able to create the right awareness that Nigerians need at this time.
“The NOA needs special attention. Nothing stops us from having a special funding mechanism for the NOA. Every Corporate organization, by law, has to contribute to the funding of NOA.
“The amnesty office should also be given high level of focus.” He said.
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