U.S. pledges to assist Nigeria in oil-rich Niger Delta region

February 15, 2011 | Government & Regulations

The United States has pledged to assist Nigeria with the development of the oil-rich Niger Delta in the areas of security and its amnesty program.

Terence McCulley, the U. S. ambassador to Nigeria, said in Abuja on Monday that the U. S. would partner with the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs.

McCulley disclosed this when he paid a courtesy visit to Minister of Niger Delta Affairs Godsday Orubebe in his office.

He said the purpose of the visit was to support Nigeria in addressing security problem in the Niger Delta region.

“I look forward to talking to you about the amnesty program, prospects for the amnesty and the overall security situation in the Niger Delta and how the United States can best partner our Nigerian friends to advance our common objective of security in the Niger Delta,” McCulley said.

He commended the Nigerian government for providing an enabling environment for a wide participation in the just concluded voter registration.

According to him, the U. S. is looking forward to seeing a peaceful, transparent, free and fair election in April.

In response, Orubebe, who solicited for the U. S. support in the April general elections, expressed the government’s commitment to deliver transparent elections in April.

According to him, Nigeria has joined the U.S. in practicing presidential system of government and needs to be supported to ensure that the system works well.

“We will ensure that the vote of every Nigerian is counted in the April general elections,” Orubebe said.

He said Nigerians registered massively in the exercise because of the transparency they saw in the conduct of party primaries.

Orubebe said security and environmental problems were some of the factors hindering development in the Niger-Delta region.

He said the government had started construction of rail and coastal roads in the region, saying that when completed, the project would go a long way in attracting investors to the region.