A MARSHALL PLAN FOR THE NIGER DELTA

On the windy day in Oloibiri in1956 when geologists first struck crude oil and they were so happy they played football with the villagers, everybody would have thought that Oloibiri and the Niger Delta region in no time would be a cynosure of all eyes. But little did they know that the story would be different. The high hopes and expectations that heralded that day has been dashed!

The increasing question asked is what is wrong with the Niger Delta? In understanding this there are many angles ranging from bureaucracy to the PIB bills to lack of regulation in the sector and to too much demands by the government. 

What are the oil majors claim? The oil majors have always claimed that the reason they have not developed the region is that most of the partnership agreements they signed with the government cedes all the funds for development of the region to the government. SPDC would tell you the same. It has to be understood that the oil majors always operate with a joint venture mechanism with the government. So if the oil majors keep blaming the government for the dearth of infrastructure, then the government should be held accountable because in this joint ventures the government could get as much as 70% in the stake after charges and taxes. So the government must develop a plan which I call the holistic Marshall plan for the Niger Delta.

It is crystal clear that the Niger Delta has been plundered as the fishermen cannot fish because of oil spills, and the environmental hazards everywhere. The ticking time bomb of insurgency and insurrection holds sway which was indeed ignited by Adaka Boro in the 1960s, and now further propelled by the likes of Asari Dukobo. What the government should do is to develop an ecosystem around the Nigeria Delta that makes it a hub for the oil industry in the world. My Marshall plan would involve three cardinal points: Education: In making the Niger Delta an oil ecosystem the government should work on a system that can effectively provide education in all the subject matter pertaining to the oil industry (currently we do not have any university that deals with Law in the oil and gas sector). Holistic institutions of international repute which can be done with a good endowment. The Petroleum Training Institute was basically for the low-end artisans in the oil industry. We need to have a university with bias for oil in all the Niger Delta states and back them up with training institutes like PTI in every region. 

Creation of industries and ancillary products: There are many ancillary products in the oil industry that can generate a lot of revenue ranging from petrochemical hubs to rubber industries to refineries. The government should increase the capacity of refineries by having more refineries, at least three more refineries with a ramped-up capacity. This would help boost the productive capacity in the region and boost trade. Also the marine economy should be revived; boat making and ship making should be enhanced and hitherto moribund ports like Koko in Warri North should be revisited. If the marine industry alone is developed it could provide up to 80,000 jobs every year and put in about $2 billion to the Nigerian economy.

Health care: Health care of this region is most important. This would involve constant sensitization of the populace and developing an holistic health insurance for the people living in the region. The health care policy would ensure that everyone in the area is covered and they pay a highly subsidized monthly or yearly premium which in turn would be used to develop health care and through sensitization we could ramp-up the life expectancy in the region. The holistic health care plan would create a mix of a viable social structure and an industrial cutting edge. This would also herald the mosquito eradication program as the Niger delta is prone to mosquitoes due to its tropical rainforest.

I Believe with these three holistic ideas the Niger Delta would be a beckon of hope and inspiration to other regions.

 Rufai Oseni, rufaioseni@gmail.com