President Muhammadu Buhari says his administration is grateful to leaders of oil producing Niger Delta for the ‘peace’ that is currently reigning in the region.
A rash of attacks on oil facilities early in the year of the administration by militant groups reduced Nigeria’s oil production from about two million barrels per day to barely one million barrels per day.
Inability of the country to get the much needed foreign exchange as a result of the disruption in oil production led the Nigerian economy to recession.
However, Niger Delta leaders under the leadership of octogenerian Chief Edwin Clark intervened on the promise of the Federal Government to address the issues that led to the attacks on the oil facilities.
The intervention has helped revved up Nigeria’s oil production as the militants stopped bombing of oil facilities.
The improvement in oil production was believed to have contributed to Nigeria’s exit from recession as recently indicated by National Bureau of Statistics figures.
President Buhari said in his Independence Day broadcast on Sunday that his government will continue to pursue peace in the Niger Delta.
The President said, “Government is keeping up the momentum of dialogue with stakeholders in the Niger Delta to keep the peace. We intend to address genuine grievances of the communities.
“Government is grateful to the responsible leadership of those communities and will pursue lasting peace in the Niger Delta.”