The United States envoy to Nigeria has urged the federal government to resolve the Niger Delta crisis through dialogue and the implementation of practical measures aimed at improving the safety and well being of the Niger Delta people.
They said honest and sincere talks involving all the stakeholders in the region would have far-reaching impact on peace, security and stability of the country.
A three-man team of senior U.S officials led by the Deputy Chief of Mission, Mr. David Young, spoke in Yenagoa, when they paid a courtesy visit to Dickson as part of their ongoing fact-finding tour of the Niger Delta.
Other members of the team were Consul-General, John Bray and Chief of Political and Economic Section, Tom Hines.
“The U.S. government feels very strongly that all stakeholders should be engaged in dialogue as part of the process to arrive at an equitable and fair solution for all involved.
“We believe that a bit of challenge for Nigeria is to transform the region of oil wells (the Niger Delta) into improvement in the life of the average Deltan. And that is something we feel very strongly about,” Mr. Young stated.
“We encourage Nigerians to work for common goals against violence and criminal activities. We encourage Nigeria to establish conditions and mechanisms for lasting change over time and provide economic opportunities and services for Deltans.”
He explained that the U.S. would provide assistance to the region in the form of “maritime security training, aviation security, treatment and prevention of HIV/AIDS, good governance planning, and agricultural training.”