The Nigerian Guild of Editors has expressed worry over the threat by the Niger Delta Avengers to resume attacks on oil facilities in the oil-rich Niger Delta region, calling on the Avengers to drop the threat and embrace dialogue in resolving their grievances.
Arising from its standing committee meeting held in Katsina, the guild specifically appealed to traditional rulers in the Niger Delta to lead conversations with the between the federal government, oil majors, the Avengers and other militant groups in the region towards resolving the issues via dialogue.
The guild’s stance as documented in a statement signed by its President, Funke Egbemode and General Secretary, Victoria Ibanga, made available to Nigerian Tribune, on Sunday, pointed to the negative consequences of renewed hostilities on the nation’s economy and the need for an amicable resolution of the issues.
Furthermore, the guild admonished the federal government not to resort to using the military to neutralise the threat of the militants, which they noted could aggravate the issue.
Drawing from the 2018 budget proposal, the guild also decried that, once again, the nation’s recurrent expenditure exceeded its capital expenditure.
It noted that the trend was harmful to the nation’s development, therefore calling for more prudent and innovative budgeting in subsequent years.
The guild also decried the increasing crime rate in the country, especially kidnappings and communal clashes, calling on the federal government to deploy the relevant security agencies to arrest the situation.
It noted that trend threatened the nation’s socio-political stability and scared investors away from the country thereby robbing Nigeria of income.
On the state of the media, the Guild expressed worry that in spite of the country exiting economic recession, the media industry was mired in distress.
It, therefore, called on media stakeholders to come together to find a way out of the ugly situation.
The statement read in parts, “As stakeholders in the task of nation-building, the Guild is worried by the recent show of military force in the quest to neutralise the threat of the militants. This move has done little to calm the tension, instead, it has aggravated it. We urge caution and restraint.”
“The Guild urges the government to dialogue with all stakeholders, including the aggrieved militants to resolve the problems in the region, insisting that the only path to peace is dialogue.”
“The Guild notes that renewed hostilities in the Niger Delta will reduce Nigeria’s daily oil output, which will, in turn, deny the country the benefits of the current marginal increase in the price of crude. Anything that’s capable of returning Nigeria to economic recession should be avoided.”
“We seize this opportunity to appeal to traditional rulers in the region to use their offices and goodwill to call the Avengers and any other militant group in the region to order.”
“As royal fathers and leaders of thought, we urge them to play a leading role in the resolution of any breakdown in communication between the Federal Government, oil majors and the militants. We cannot afford another bout of force majeure by oil majors on account of insecurity in the region.”
“The widening spread and growing frequency of kidnappings and allied criminal acts do not only threaten the nation’s socio-political stability, they also rob Nigeria of income as potential investors are scared of coming into the country while in some instances, existing investors are being forced to leave the country. Either way, the nation loses.”
“On the 2018 budget proposal currently before the National Assembly, the Guild is concerned about the size of the recurrent as against the capital expenditures. This trend, which is inimical to any country’s development, has continued for so long. We urge prudence and innovative budgeting in order to achieve a reversal in the nearest future,” the statement read.
