‘Lack Of Environmental Justice, Bane Of N’Delta’

The Director, Centre For Conflicts and Gender Studies, University of Port Harcourt, Dr. Fidelis Aden, has linked the crises in the oil rich Niger Delta region to the absence of environmental justice for communities in the region.
Dr Allen who is also an Associate Professor in the university, said this in a paper entitles “Peace and Stability in Nigeria” at the just concluded 11th General Assembly of West Africa Network Peace Building (WANEP) Nigeria in Port Harcourt.
The university teacher also said that, Nigeria is trapped in oil and gas production as state officials feel that without oil and gas, the country cannot move forward.
He said that the over reliance on oil and gas revenues has led to situation whereby state officials and oil companies collude to undermine the environment.
Dr. Allen said that this situation has underscore the need for non-governmental organizations to recoup and fight for the people of the Niger Delta.
“Civil society needs to do more to engage with key stakeholders. Peace education must be directed to both state and non state sectors”, he said.
While stressing that non violence is the real approval, the university don, however, warned the Niger Delta avengers and other militant groups in the region to desist from further destruction of oil installations in the region.
According to him, those destroying oil facilities are destroying a generation to come and stressed the need for politicians and other stakeholders in the region to bring pressure to bear on those in position of authority to find a lasting solution to the Niger Delta problem.
He also commended WANEP Nigeria for helping to build the capacities of communities in the region towards making peace and urged for support.
In her report, the secretary board of directors of WANEP Nigeria, Miss Bridget Osakwe said that the group with over 120 member organisations across Nigeria is working with international partners on a number of issues.
She listed the issues to include; “community early warning/early response, women, peace and security.
“Community peace and security dialogue, human security, mitigating agro pastoralist conflict, disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation” she said.