PRESS STATEMENT

  THE NIGERIA DELTA SITUATION AND THE GLOBAL ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL CRISES

Washington D.C, USA – (Release Date Sept 08, 2008) –. Successive attempts to pacify the Nigeria's oil-rich Niger Delta have met with road-blocks. As corruption spreads in the region, Nigeria's Energy Minister, Odein Ajumogobia continues to assure that the federal government remains committed to resolving the restive Niger Delta's problem.

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Yet, local militant groups have increased their sporadic attack oil facilities, demanding more use of oil revenues in the improvement of the Niger Delta. Now, that some foreign governments have proposed military assistance to the Nigerian government to secure their investment in the Delta region, What Else Can We Do?

To commemorate the 48th independence anniversary of Nigeria; In line with our belief that democracy and political independence requires citizen-participation; and to generate effective solutions to the global energy and environmental crises arising from the Nigerian Delta, the Coalition of Niger Deltans in Diaspora with the strategic support of Civic Life International has organized a one-day deliberative public policy event at the National Press Club in Washington D.C. The event holds September 29th 2008 from 9 am-5-pm.The purpose of this event is to convene academics, NGOS, policy-makers, the Leadership of various ethnic groups from the Niger Delta region, the media and members of civil society with the aim of: Informing International civil society as well as the sub-Saharan diaspora about the situation in § n the restive but oil -rich Delta region of Nigeria § Advocating on behalf of political independence of the people of Nigeria in regard to proposed "military" assistance by foreign governments in the Nigerian Delta crisis.

§ Creating a Euro-African network and a forum for productive dialogue between sub-Saharan Africa, policy makers, International media and civil society, towards finding sustainable solutions to the current challenges of In the Delta region.

The key note speaker is Prof Saliba Mukoro , Asst Professor and Chair of the Department of Criminal Justice at Mississippi Valley State University - Topic: Realizing Nigeria's True Destiny and Ending the Niger Delta Quagmire in 9months The event will also feature the world preview of " Sweet Crude" , the epic documentary on the Nigerian Energy and Environmental Crisis by Hollywood film producer Sandy Cioffi ,