Boroh’s imprints in Niger-Delta and Nigeria’s crude oil output

When, in July 2015, President Muhammadu Buhari announced the appointment of retired Brigadier-General Paul Tarela Boroh as his special adviser on Niger-Delta and coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme on Niger-Delta militants, the situation in the region was very uncertain, precipitated by the expiration of the Goodluck Jonathan tenure. The future for the Special Presidential […]

When, in July 2015, President Muhammadu Buhari announced the appointment of retired Brigadier-General Paul Tarela Boroh as his special adviser on Niger-Delta and coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme on Niger-Delta militants, the situation in the region was very uncertain, precipitated by the expiration of the Goodluck Jonathan tenure.

The future for the Special Presidential Amnesty Programme for the 30,000 Niger-Delta militants introduced by the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua in 2009, appeared bleak. Moreover, the resignation of the immediate-past advisor on Niger-Delta, as well as coordinator of the programmme shortly after the administration of President Buhari assumed office, raised suspicion in the region.

That development did not help matters for the new administration, especially when viewed against the backdrop of the fall in crude oil prices.

As a sign of his unwavering belief in the programmme, coupled with the administration’s determination to resolve all pending issues in the Niger-Delta region, President Muhammadu Buhari appointed a new adviser on Niger-Delta and coordinator of the amnesty programme in the person of retired Brigadier-General Paul T. Boroh.

No surprise his appointment was greeted with applause and commendation from all parts of the country, especially the indigenes of the region.

The president of the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC), Mr. Udengs Eradiri, immediately threw his weight behind the president’s decision to appoint Boroh as his adviser and coordinator of the programme.

He said, “The “Ijaw Youth Council commends President Buhari for appointing retired Brigadier-General P. T Boroh as coordinator of the amnesty programme and urges him to hit the ground running. The group pledges to work with him for the smooth running of the programme.”

It is worthy to note here that General Boroh’s appointment came even before major appointments were made by the president, including the ministers, a development that underscores the importance the president attaches to the region and issues that affect its people. The Sagbama-born military General, known to have been deeply involved in the resolution of the Kaduna ethno-religious conflict of 2000, through dialogue with stakeholders, has brought to bear, his experience in the execution of his current assignment. This is a practical case of putting a round peg in a round hole, as, apart from being an indigene of the area, his past experience had prepared him for the job.   Since the appointment, Boroh has, and continues to work hard to renew his belief in the amnesty programme.

In the administration’s first annual budget of 2016, the Niger-Delta amnesty programme received only N20 billion allocation after its passage by the National Assembly, but General’s Boroh’s ground work proved effective as the president later sent a letter to the National Assembly, asking that  the allocation be raised to N35 billion. This was done to ensure that the programme ran smoothly and that stipends for repentant militants were paid. That gesture, no doubt, rekindled the region’s hope and tackled the issue of doubt.  It also helped to boost oil production and stability in the region.

However, following a spate of pipeline vandalisation from the relatively new group known as “Niger-Delta Avengers,” the senior special assistant to the president on Niger-Delta was, once again, faced with another onerous task, which he approached with all intent to nip in the bud. But the ugly scenario continued to cause sleepless nights, not only to the senoir special assistant, but to the nation in general despite the efforts to appease the Avengers, whose activities caused a drop in Nigeria’s crude oil output from 2.2m bpd to 1.8m bpd.

Brigadier-General Boroh worked tirelessly to mediate an effective resolution of the group’s demands. The senior special assistant on Niger-Delta and coordinator of the amnesty programme ensured a face-to-face meeting of the president with leaders of the Niger-Delta. The meeting underscored President Buhari’s commitment to resolving the region’s problems.

Soon afterwards, the president flagged off the first-of-its kind Niger-Delta clean-up initiative through the joint collaboration of the Minister of Environment Amina Mohammed and Brigadier-General Boroh. And recently, Vice President Yomi Osinbajo personally travelled to the creeks of the Niger-Delta and met with militants, in an overt gesture to show government’s renewed push to addressing their plight. Brigadier-General Boroh, once again, proved to be the unbroken bridge, linking Aso Villa to the yearnings of the people of the creeks.

The results of these efforts have started yielding fruits.  The stability in the region is gradually taking Nigeria back to its position of the economic heavyweight of Africa.

Now, international crude oil price is close to $60/pb, following the decision of OPEC to curb crude oil output.  Nigeria’s output was agreed upon to remain in view of the efforts of government to resolve all pending issues with the oil-rich region.

The Buhari-led government has gradually but surely returned peace to the once restive region and is working on all the previous initiatives for the militants.

The Niger-Delta clean-up programme has also helped the situation in no small measure. Certainly, the senior special assistant on Niger-Delta and coordinator of the amnesty programme is the unsung hero, whose quiet but effective behind- the-scene efforts helped propel government’s workable initiatives for the region. This explains why the 2017 budget proposal submitted by the president to the National Assembly early December expected an increase in crude oil output, signalling an increase in the cumulative budget figures above the previous years. But for Brigadier-General Boroh, the achievement so far is just a tip of the iceberg of what the region and country will witness in the coming years.

 

Ibrahim Umar Babangida wrote from No 1 Quito Close, Yadseram Crescent, Maitama, Abuja