Washington DC: As part of the coming constitutional review, Rt. Hon. Dimeji Bankole, the speaker of the House of epresentatives has assured the United State of America of constitutional and legislative solution to the lingering crisis in the Niger Delta in addition to other measures aimed at making the area secure for all.

Speaking during a visit with top officials of the US State Department in Washington DC, Bankole said the issues at stake in the Niger Delta is the concern of the House as they are representatives of the people with concern for all their constituents adding that all arms of the government have been making efforts to solve the problem.

Addressing concerns raised by official of the State Department over insecurity and violence in the Niger Delta, good governance, accountability and transparency in the new administration in Nigeria, Bankole said that the House set the tone for the proposed Summit of Stakeholders in Niger Delta by the Federal Government through a similar forum it organized in the region with stakeholders late last year adding that the upcoming summit will provide a strategy to deescalate the violence in the Niger Delta.

The speaker however said that efforts should also be made to monitor the huge fund already accruing to state governments in the region as this would have gone along way in addressing some of the developmental issues fuelling the crisis in the region if well utilized and accounted for adding that the challenges is the lack of capacity of state legislature to ask relevant questions on the funds they appropriate for the executives. He pointed out that the legislature at the national level,  particularly the House of Representatives have began to ask question on appropriated fund with startling positive results but however requested US assistance in capacity building and technical support in optimal performance of it constitutional roles in a democracy.

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Bankole stated that the new administration under the leadership of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua has shown evidence of allowing the rule of law and due process in its relations with the legislature stressing that this should be build upon  to sustain and strengthen democracy in Nigeria. Earlier on, Mr. Thomas Dougherty, the Director Office of West African Affairs, who represented the Director, National Security Council (Africa) Mr. Bobby Pitman said that since the inception of the new administration in Nigeria and the election of the new speaker USA has been watching to see action on the issue of Niger Delta, transparency, accountability and good governance adding that USA are interested in legislative actions in this areas.

He however expressed optimism on the initiatives enumerated by the speaker in relation to the Summit on Niger Delta and the constitutional review adding that he hope it would provide a strategy on resolving the Niger Delta crisis.

Pittman promised that the State department would look into area of support for the initiatives on Niger Delta and capacity building for legislators as the issues are related adding that  good governance in the past would have greatly influence the situation in Niger Delta positively.