Amnesty: S’South Govs Threaten to Back out
•Say Lukman is anti-Niger Delta
From Victor Efeizomor in Asaba, 07.24.2009

South-South governors have threatened to pull out of the amnesty arrangement for militants except certain issues are addressed quickly by the Federal Government.
Arising from the follow-up meeting to the South-South Economic Summit held earlier in the year in Calabar, Cross River State, the governors, under the aegis of South-South Governors’ Forum, said in Asaba, Delta State, early this morning that the Petroleum Industry Bill, which seeks to reform the oil sector, was “a slap in the face of the local communities”.
The governors, under the chairmanship of Governor Liyel Imoke of Cross River State, also kicked against the reported movement of the proposed University of Petroleum from Effurun, Delta State, to Kaduna State, while accusing the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Dr. Rilwanu Lukman – who incidentally hails from Kaduna State – as being anti-South-South.
The third point of departure, according to the governors, is that the Federal Government does not have any concrete post-amnesty plan on the ground.
President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, in an attempt to douse the Niger Delta crisis and bring an end to militant activities which have brought the all-important oil industry to its knees, had offered amnesty to the militants.
However, the amnesty plan, which had the backing of the governors from the South-South geo-political zone, is now in jeopardy with the latest threat from the governors.
The petroleum industry bill, which has also been opposed by the oil majors and some other stakeholders in the industry, is said not to be in favour of the host communities, considering the need to provide for local content and promote a sense of ownership among the communities.
The original bill gave five per cent of the royalty to the community that produces the oil and 25 per cent to the states where the oil is produced.
It was however withdrawn and a second bill was introduced in which the host communities would not be entitled to any interest if passed.
The meeting was also angry the proposed Petroleum University would be located in Kaduna State, arguing that it was against the interest of the Niger Delta.
The university, which is estimated to cost N14 billion, will train high-level manpower, whereas the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI) in Effurun trains mainly low-level manpower.
It had been speculated that PTI would be upgraded to university level, but Lukman has denied the claim, saying the institute would be retained to train low-level manpower while the degree-awarding institute would be sited in Kaduna.
He specifically denied reports that the Federal Government promised to convert the PTI to a university, saying that doing so would deny the oil sector the needed middle-level manpower.

Where is nigeria heading to?

Back out??
Were they offered amnesty?
Are they the militants?