King Alfred Papapreye Diete-Spiff
The Amayanabo of Twon-Brass in Bayelsa State, King Alfred Papapreye Diete-Spiff, has enjoined the Federal Government to expeditiously constitute a high-powered team to negotiate with militant youths in the Niger Delta, saying impatience was fast setting in.
The former military governor of old Rivers State, who spoke yesterday in Asaba, the Delta State capital, said though traditional rulers had spoken to the militants to end hostility, the government must hasten the truce process.
“We have spoken with them and they have been quite understanding. Their prayer is God give us patience, but please hurry.”
Diete-Spiff said the monarchs had been mediating and working assiduously to return peace to the region.He revealed that they recently met with government and the aggrieved youths who originally presented a 15-point agenda before reviewing it upward to 20, urging a quick roundtable where the concerned parties could iron out their differences.
“We will use mediation skills to get results. The elders are already in consultation with the youths who have spelt out 15 points to be addressed by government. In the meantime, the youths have also added some other points which they thought were not fully included in the first one. So about 20 points are on the table for discussion and resolution. So, it is a matter of time. The teams will make recommendations to the Federal Government for implementation, ” he remarked.
