N’Delta: We Recommended 50% Derivation – Technical C’ttee Member

A member of the Technical Committee on Niger Delta and gubernatorial candidate of the Action Congress, (AC), Prince Tonye Princewill, said yesterday that the committee recommended 50 percent derivation which should start with 25 percent and increased to 50 percent before the end of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua’s first tenure.This is coming as the Resident Minister of Christ Church Interdenominational, Venerable Richard Hart, said that the take over of mission schools by governments in the Niger Delta region was responsible for the moral decadence in the society which also bred militancy that has cost the region its peace.Princewill, who said the ball was in the court of President Yar’Adua noted that there was need for him to act on time so as to build confidence especially in declaring the Niger Delta an “Environmental disaster region”.“What the reports do not tell you now is derivation recommended is 50 percent to be achieved within the life of this administration with 25 percent of that to be done now so as to demonstrate political will and build confidence.“We have also asked them to declare the Niger Delta an environmental disaster area, stop gas flaring by December 2008, restore the status of our gateway airport in Port Harcourt to make it truly international and build new governance structures in the communities to checkmate the failures of governance”, he said.Among the recommendations he said was the pardon for repentant militants based on well spelt out rehabilitation plans.Speaking on militancy, Resident Minister of Christ Church Interdenominational, Venerable Richard Hart, while briefing the press on their 70 year anniversary of the church.He also used the opportunity to press for the forgiveness of those who killed and burnt churches in the recent mayhem in Jos, Plateau State, adding that people should market their faith not through violence.Hart said that the value system in the society started nose-diving when government took over the mission schools which emphasised moral education and removed it from their curriculum.To further help address the issue, he said that they were not only pressing on the government to return the mission schools but would go a step further to build new schools where the tenets of their faith would be espoused.“When churches were running the educational system, sound morals was taught and the system bred good individuals. What we have today is as a result of government owned school system.“We will continue to talk to government to return schools to missions where good values would be taught without compromising the quality of education. With the teachings from the pulpit and counseling, added to the creek drive by our trained pastors, the problem would be solved”, Hart said.On the cause of militancy, he said the neglect of the Niger Delta region was obvious and made it too clear that the center has not been fair to the region which led to protests and arming of youths.He, however, counseled militants to drop their weapons while the federal government should show commitment to the development of the region.



culled from This day Nigeria





Comment:



50% of nothing is nothing! What have the people of the Niger delta seen of the previous derivation?The governors of the delta region past and present have not demonstrated a willingness to better the lives of their kinsfolk, Rather they have demonstrated a willingness to line their own pockets.The issue is not percentage of derivation really but budget implementation and good leadershipUse what you have wisely. They are mainly asking for more funds to lootGod help Nigeria