YENAGOA-Governor DouyeDiri of Bayelsa State has alongside leaders of the Ijaw National Congress, INC, and other stakeholders calmed frayed nerves arising from the pipeline surveillance contract awarded by the Federal Government to Chief Government Ekpemupolo aka Tompolo.
This came as Leader of Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF and Chairman, Board of Trustees, Ijaw National Congress, INC, Chief Edwin Clark,threw thrown his weight behind resolutions taken by notable Ijaw sons over the pipeline contract awarded Tompolo, urging stateholders in the region to bury the hatchet and work together for the growth and development of Niger Delta region.
Diri also said leaders of the Ijaw nation and other ethnic nationalities in Niger Delta have resolved to work together to protect Federal Government facilities in the region.
The governor stated this, weekend, at the end of a meeting of critical stakeholders of the Ijaw nation led by the INC President, Prof. Benjamin Okaba, in Government House, Yenagoa.
Diri noted that the meeting examined the various issues that threatened the unity of the Ijaw nation following the award of the pipeline surveillance contract to Tompolo’s firm.
He explained that the meeting was held to foster peace and unity within Ijaw land and that all parties agreed to sheathe their swords.
Tompolo, King Ateke Tom and Chief Dokubo Asari sent representatives to the meeting.
At the end of the meeting, the INC issued a communique, noting that a five-man reconciliatory committee was constituted to interface with the various groups and individuals on the pipeline surveillance issue to ensure that perceived differences are totally resolved and that our youths will now work together, in the spirit of brotherhood, to safeguard the relative peace in the region.
“We do not want further bickering and disorder in any part of the Niger Delta region. The region should not be distracted by these ‘soupcons’, let us focus on the ‘big picture’ of the sustainable development of the Niger Delta region.”
