Lai Mohammed says violence not solution to Niger Delta crisis
   
The minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has said violence will not resolve the Niger Delta crisis which now includes attacks on oil installations by militants and other agitators.
Mohammed called on those disenchanted with the plight of the region to embrace peaceful tools of seeking redress.
Speaking at the command screening of the action thriller movie ‘Oloibiri’ in Abuja on the night of Thursday, September 7, 2016, the minister said that in violence, “there are really are no victors, for whichever end of the divide one falls, there remain only the wounded and trauma of bloody memories.
 
Olu Jacobs, Taiwo Ajayi Lycett and minister of Information and Culture Lai Mohammed, after the command screening of the film OLOIBIRI in Abuja on Thursday night
“In its essence, ‘Oloibiri’ the movie speaks of the Niger-Delta to us Nigerians; to our essence as humans, as a nation, as students of history and hopes of our tomorrows. ‘Oloibiri’ in its form points out to us that in addressing wrongs, the place of diplomacy can never be successfully replaced with violence; for the violent creates victims of himself and others, and in all of these it is the land who loses precious citizens.”
 
He said the present administration, in laying a strong foundation for the speedy development of the Niger Delta, has begun the implementation of the recommendations of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) on the environmental assessment of Ogoniland, which was launched last June.
Guests, including environment minister Amina Mohammed (1st from left), minister of state for Environment Ibrahim Usman Jubril (5th from left), minister of Information and Culture Lai Mohammed (8th from left), minister of Labour and Employment Chris Ngige (9th from left), special adviser to the president on Niger Delta Paul Boro (10th from left), at the command screening of the film OLOIBIRI in Abuja
Alhaji Mohammed also noted that the federal government has commissioned the Central Ogbia regional water supply project in Bayelsa as part of efforts complete all abandoned water projects to improve livelihood.
 
Among those who witnessed the command screening of the film were the minister of Environment Amina Mohammed, minister of Labour and Employment Chris Ngige, minister of State for Environment Ibrahim Usman Jibril and the special adviser to the president on Niger Delta Paul Boro.
Also in attendance were some of the stars who featured in the movie, including Mr Olu Jacobs and Mrs Taiwo Ajayi Lycett.
In an exclusive interview recently, the speaker of the Bayelsa state House of Assembly, Konbowei Benson, explained the various challenges faced by the people of his state and further revealed why the agitators in the Niger Delta are poised to take up arms against the federal government.