This is a Niger Delta project aimed at giving/lending a voice to the problems and challenges of the Niger Delta people within the government circles. In this project, cases of injustice are transmitted through Amange foundation to the Nigerian National Assembly. The Mouthpiece project utilizes the force and tenets of democracy through the use of motions and people-oriented legislations. Presently efforts are made against all forms of oppression and unnecessarily frequent military intervention in the Niger Delta. Hence, the following are some of the efforts and achievements.
- Motion on the Withdrawal of the Military Force in Nembe
- Bill on the Amendment of 13% Derivation Bill
1. Motion on the Withdrawal of the Military Force in Nembe
Background:
In April 2008, Sen. Barigha-Amange, received a call from a member of his constituency on the maltreatment of 5 young boys in Nembe. These innocent boys were brutalized by some military personnel in the locality. Sen. Amange, on returning to his constituency based on the report recieved, discovered on investigation that these boys were falsely accused by some two boys in retaliation to an old grievance. Thus, the whip and torture from the military personnel was so dehumanizing that the boys were left bleeding all over as hot water and petrol were used on them before the whipping.
Moreover, at that same period, a military personnel miss-fired and shot one eleven-year old girl. Though, it was reported the injured girl was receiving treatment in hospital, the offenders of these acts are still at large.
The Motion:
Sen. Amange quoting section 217 of the Nigerian law stipulating the work of the army raised the motion for the withdrawal of the military from Nembe local government area. And if need be, the military be replaced by police force who are better trained in handling civil/civilian matters. He thus pointed that his constituency (Bayelsa East) is the most peaceful in the subregion.
2. Bill on the Specified Distribution of the 13% Derivation Bill
Background:
Even after the clamour for increased derivation formula for the oil producing states, it is still appalling to know that the funds hardly trickle down to the immediate oil producing communities. It is also noted that the immediate oil producing communities' youths are the most restive of all in the states. Hence, the need to specify in the 13% derivation bill the distribution of the revenue within the oil producing states.
The Bill
The bill states that the 13% revenue derivation which goes to the oil producing states should be share 60:40. 60 goes to the oil producing communities while the rest (40%) goes to the producing states.
For more information: www.barigha-amange.com
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