President Muhammadu Buhari is currently in a closed door meeting with stakeholders from the Niger Delta region, Daily Trust reports.
President Buhari has been granting audience to some Niger Delta leaders before now
The meeting is expected to resolve the crisis in the oil-rich region which has led to a sharp decline in oil production and affected Nigeria’s earnings.
Cross section of Niger Delta leaders at the meeting
The meeting began at 12:00 noon, and it is being held inside the Council Chambers of the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Some of the leaders of the region discussing at the meeting
Among those present at the meeting are Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Secretary to the Government of the Federation Babachir David Lawal, Chief of Staff to the President Abba Kyari as well as ministers and other federal government appointees from the Niger Delta.
Stakeholders present at the meeting include well respected statesman Edwin Clark; governors of Delta, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa and Imo states as well as prominent traditional rulers from the region.
A Niger Delta leader at the meeting. Photo credit: Bayo Omoboriowo
Also in attendance are service chiefs and heads of other security agencies in the country.
Service chiefs at the meeting
The meeting was organised as an avenue for stakeholders in the Niger Delta region to bring to the forefront the challenges they face in their region and for government to fine-tune ways to dialogue with aggrieved elements in the region.
As part of his commitment to address the challenges in the Niger Delta region, President Buhari on Thursday, October 27 unveiled the Petroleum Industry Road-map at the Banquet Hall of the State House, Aso Presidential Villa, Abuja.
One of the major objective of the initiative is to win peace and progress through diplomacy and a deployment of the dividends of oil wealth to impact the lives of the people who primarily suffer the collateral damage of oil exploration and exploitation.
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