Niger Delta deserves a share of the $1 billion – Wike

The Rivers State Governor,  Nyesom Wike says there should be balance in the way the Federal Government handles issues affecting different parts of the country.

He made the observation while playing host to members of the House of Representatives’ Committee on Local Content  in Port Harcourt yesterday.

Wike reiterated that the Niger Delta deserves a share of the $1 billion set aside from the Excess Crude Account (ECA) to prosecute the campaign against insurgency, to tackle decades of environmental terrorism unleashed by exploitation.

Noting that there would not have been excess crude funds without the contributions of oil-producing communities in the region.

 Wike stressed that ” There sould be balance in the way the Federal Government handles issues affecting different parts of the country. We are not saying that the Federal Government should not tackle Boko Haram. But as they tackle Boko Haram with $1 billion, they must remember that the environmental challenge facing the Niger Delta is the major security challenge. If something happens or there is a crisis in the Niger Delta, there will be no excess crude for anyone to draw from.

“This country belongs to all of us. We must work to salvage Nigeria. We shall always talk about the interest of Nigeria,”  he said.

Emphasizing that issues of development and security must be devoid of politicisation, because according to him, political parties are mere vehicles conveying people to desired destinations.

At the meeting of the National Executive Council last week, state governors had given the administration the nod to withdraw $1 billion from the Excess Crude Account (ECA) .