Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo has promised to quicken the pace of development in the Niger Delta, a statement released here said.
According to the statement, Obasanjo urged the people of the region to eschew violence and embrace peace and dialogue with government for their own good, saying that continuing violence and instability in the Niger Delta were hindering government's efforts to help develop the region.
The government will always welcome more dialogue and consultation with the people of the Niger Delta with a view to learning the things they require "to make life better" for them,
he said.
The federal government also expects the traditional rulers and community leaders in the region to make useful contributions to efforts to curb militancy in the region, which was making it much more costly and difficult to execute developmental projects and program in the Niger Delta, the president added.
According to him, the request of the local people for more developmental assistance and support would be given due consideration by the government.
Occupying oil facilities or taking oil workers hostage is common in the oil-rich Niger Delta as local people are angry for not benefiting from oil exploration and instead suffering from pollution discharged from the industry.