Nigeria sets up committees in bid to pacify Delta region

Thursday, 17 December 2009

Nigerian authorities announced Wednesday the creation of five committees that will address oil, environmental and disarmament issues, following an amnesty in the southern Niger Delta.

Nigerian President Umaru Yar'Adua offered amnesty to rebels in the Niger Delta region

"As a further step towards ensuring the consolidation of the amnesty process, the president has approved the creation of a presidential committee and sub-committees for the Niger Delta," Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan said during an inauguration ceremony.

An amnesty was offered to armed rebels by President Umaru Yar'Adua between August and October, leading to a period of relative calm, with authorities engaging with militants and local populations in the attempt to develop the impoverished region.

The new presidential committee, headed by state secretary Odein Ajumogobia, will focus on involving local communities in the ownership of oil assets.

The four sub-committees are dedicated to oil and gas asset protection, the environment, infrastructural development and disarmament, rehabilitation and reintegration for ex-combatants.

Oil production rose in the delta to 1.98 million barrels a day in November, according to the latest report from the International Energy Agency.

After more than three years of incessant attacks by armed militants, oil production had been in free-fall since reaching 2.6 million barrels a day in 2006.

Sapa-AFP