The interventions by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) have succeeded in stabilising oil production in the region, it has been observed.
This emerged during the opening of a three-day capacity building retreat on communal dispute and peaceful resolution held in Lagos for personnel of the Department of Conflict Resolution (DCR) of the NDDC.
The acting Director of DCR, Mr Goddy Ogedegbe, stated that given the strategic place of the region in generating government revenue, more resources would be deployed to create harmony within communities in the region to increase oil exploration activities and generate more money for the government.
The Managing Director of NDDC, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, was represented at the retreat by the Special Assistant Legal, Mr Ochu Chukwuma.
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The retreat, with the theme: “Communal Dispute in the Niger Delta Region: The role of NDDC Staff in Promoting Peaceful Resolution”, was facilitated by Development Projects (PEDEP).
Ogedegbe, who spoke with newsmen, said the retreat was strategic to train personnel of the department on nipping crises in the bud.
He noted that peace and stability in the Niger Delta would translate to more revenue for Nigeria.
He said, “Since the MD assumed office, we have not had any crisis in the Niger Delta. This is because he has dispatched his men in my department at the state, local government and community, and even at the ward levels.
“He has put machinery on the ground. Have you heard that any oil pipeline has been vandalised since he resumed duty? The answer is no. You can see that oil production is going well in the Niger Delta based on the fact that the MD is a man of his words.
“And also, we have to commend the federal government for putting a private security in place that will be checkmating all who vandalise oil pipelines.
“Those private companies have already engaged our youths who are not employed.”
A development consultant, Mr Jide Ojo, and a media scholar, Tunde Akanni, who spoke on “Peace as a Multi-Stakeholder Enterprise” and “Communication and Interpersonal Conflict Management-Interpersonal Self-Awareness: A Power Perspective” respectively, called for proactive measures to nip crises in the bud in the Niger Delta.
