Niger Delta: Minister Says Violence Won’t Solve Any Problem

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has said
the resort to violence will not resolve the Niger Delta issue,
hence calling on those disenchanted with the plight of the region to
embrace peaceful tools of seeking redress.

In his comments at the command screening of the action thriller movie
”Oloibiri’ in Abuja on Thursday night, the Minister said that
in violence, ”there are really are no victors, for whichever end of
the divide one falls, there remain only the wounded and trauma of
bloody memories.

”In its essence, ‘Oloibiri’ the movie speaks of the Niger-Delta to us
Nigerians; to our essence as humans, as a nation, as students ‘
of history and hopes of our tomorrows. ‘Oloibiri’ in its form points
out to us that in addressing wrongs, the place of diplomacy can
never be successfully replaced with violence; for the violent creates
victims of himself and others, and in all of these it is the land
who loses precious citizens.”

He said the present Administration, in laying a strong foundation for
the speedy development of the Niger Delta, has begun the
implementation of the recommendations of the United Nations
Environment Programme (UNEP) on the Environmental Assessment
of Ogoniland, which was launched last June.

Alhaji Mohammed also noted that the Federal Government has
commissioned the Central Ogbia Regional Water Supply Project in
Bayelsa, as part of efforts complete all abandoned water projects to
improve livelihood.

Among those who witnessed the command screening of the film were the
Minister of Environment Amina Mohammed, Minister of
Labour and Employment Chris Ngige, Minister of State for Environment
Ibrahim Usman Jibril and the Special Adviser to the President
on Niger Delta Paul Boro.

Also in attendance were some of the stars who featured in the movie,
including Mr. Olu Jacobs and Mrs Taiwo Ajayi Lycett