Nathan Tamarapreye, Yenagoa
Former agitators in Niger Delta are seeking the return of investors that left the area following the reign of militancy in the oil-rich region.
The former agitators also called on interventionist agencies to work together to sustain the peace and ensure the development of the region.
They spoke on Sunday in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa capital, during a regional peace summit to sensitize people on the need to advance the peace currently enjoyed in the region.
The ex-agitators also condemned the proliferation of illegal refineries and lamented its adverse effects on development.
Pastor Nature Dumale Kieghe, an Ex-militant leader said as ex-agitators, who keyed into the vision of the Interim Administrator, Presidential Amnesty Programme Col. Milland Dixon Dikio (rtd), they had resolved to work for a new and better Niger Delta.
“It is important to sensitize our people towards a peaceful Niger Delta and create a friendly environment that will attract development, Multinational companies and other foreign investors to the region.
“We, who once carried guns, are nowhere to preach the message of peace to our people in the region.
“Peace is the only way we can have the developed environment that we dream of. Peace is the only way to attract the multinationals, investors and be gainfully employed,” Dumale said.
Dumale maintained that peace remained a vital requirement to attract investors to the region which would, in turn, create business and job opportunities for the people.
He said: “Companies that have left the Niger Delta because of insecurity need to return; this is the purpose for sensitization.
“We are blessed with an environment that is supposed to prosper us, we can only enjoy our natural resources if there is a peaceful environment.”
He said that a major setback to the development of the Niger Delta was the absence of proper coordination among key stakeholders.
He said with the right synergy, the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, the Presidential Amnesty office, could hasten the needed development.
He said beyond hampering the development of the region, illegal refining of petroleum products was life-threatening and dangerous to the ecosystem.
The sensitization programme commenced in Bayelsa state with 150 Niger Delta youths in attendance and would be held across the nine states of the region to create adequate awareness.