Akinola, S. R (2010) Post-Amnesty Plan, Peace-Building and Peope-Centred Development in the Niger Delta: A Polycentric Planning and Poverty Reduction Strategy (PPPRS). Sustainable Development and Environmental Protection.
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Abstract
This proposal charts a course of action that the Federal Government of Nigeria can take in order to consolidate the gains of amnesty programme by building peace and engineering people-centred development in the Niger Delta. From theoretical formulations to empirical analysis, this proposal uses the Institutional Analysis and Development (IAD) framework to diagnose the missing links in several efforts and programmes designed to addressing the crisis in the Niger Delta. While the present amnesty programme has yielded some good results, the grey area – post-amnesty plan – that can address the problems and challenges that triggered violence, insecurity and economic loss in the Niger Delta requires urgent attentions. In other words, amnesty programme needs be complemented with pragmatic post-amnesty poverty reduction and development strategies that are people-oriented. It is apposite to make hay while the sun shines. In the light of this exigency, this proposal considers it imperative to adopt a polycentric planning and poverty reduction strategy (PPPRS) to resolving the Niger Delta crisis. The proposal is a summary of innovative problem-solving and solution-seeking ideas that area capable of addressing several challenges that are confronting the Niger Delta. It contains a well designed post-amnesty plan and programmes that can ensure economic empowerment, poverty reduction, people-centred development and peace-building in the region. The proposal designs a Niger-Delta Post-Amnesty Development Model (NDPADM) that derives inspirations and workability mechanisms from fifteen (15) African development models that are problem-solving and solution-seeking in several sectors of the economy in the Niger Delta. At the heart of NDPADM is African Public Sphere Restructuring Model (APSRM) designed for the setting up self-governing community assembly (SGCA) for deliberation, collegiality, mutual trust, reciprocity and shared community of understanding to enable citizens, both elite and non-elite to operate in synergy to collectively achieve socio-economic and techno-political objectives. Without a restructuring of the public space that could enable all the diverse interests in the Niger Delta to operate as colleagues with equal standing such that oil benefits are shared equitably, amnesty programme will be tantamount to fire brigade exercise, a waste of resources and a cycle of reinforced violence. Under the proposed new institutional arrangement, amnested persons will be involved in the activities of community assembly where they can function as agents of change in development arenas. Invariably, the amnesty programme of the federal government would enable ex-militants, freedom fighters, revolutionists and other citizens to make meaningful contributions towards development. The outcome of the restructuring is emergence of new institutional arrangements, which would reflect integrative constitutional order in socio-economic and techno-political realms. It is this joint action and synergy by the major stakeholders (public officials, scholars, oil companies and representatives of community self-governing institutions) that would eventually determine how government policies in all spheres of life in the region are to be implemented. After the institutional arrangement has been designed, operational strategy for implementation of any programme/project (e.g. employment generation, food security, road development, poverty reduction, environmental management, security of life and property, electoral reform and democratisation, conflict detection, prevention and resolution, etc.) can then be fashioned out. It is at this stage that any of the fifteen models can be applied to any of the specific action situations. For example, the Nigerian government can kick start post-amnesty programmes by implementing food security and employment generation programmes in the Niger Delta.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Subjects: | N Fine Arts > NA Architecture |
| Divisions: | Faculty of Engineering, Science and Mathematics > School of Civil Engineering and the Environment |
| Depositing User: | Mrs Patricia Nwokealisi |
| Date Deposited: | 30 Jan 2014 16:57 |
| Last Modified: | 30 Jan 2014 16:57 |
| URI: | http://eprints.covenantuniversity.edu.ng/id/eprint/2106 |
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