CHAIRMAN of the Senate Committee on Steel Development, Dr. Fred
                        Brume (Delta Central) has described recent criticisms of his comment on
                        resource control as an unfortunate misunderstanding of what he called a
                        mature advice. He said he was not against resource control.

                        "I was advising that the issue of resource control, desireable as it may be,
                        can only be seen as a long term measure, if at all it will be feasible, because it
                        required the amendment of the Constitution of the country in order to bring
                        the control over mineral mining rights from federal to states or local
                        governments or even individuals," he said.

                        Senator Brume made this explanation at the official dedication of Light
                        House Christian Guest House in Ebute-Metta, Lagos, suitable for visiting
                        missionaries and as hostel for Christians on retreat.

                        The guest house is the second of its kind by the Fishers of Men, an
                        8-woman evangelical/missionary support ministry co-ordinated by the
                        senator’s lawyer-wife and mother of five, Mrs Elizabeth Brume.

                        According to the co-ordinator, the two guest houses were set up to raise
                        funds to support their mission fields in the North, Cameroun, Niger, Burkina
                        Faso, Central African Republic and other parts of Africa.

                        Speaking further, the Senator added: "You require two thirds of the elected
                        members of the National Assembly to achieve that. In addition, you require
                        two thirds of the states of the federation or 24 state assemblies.

                        "And I know from what I am already seeing among my colleagues from
                        other parts of the country in Abuja that, that is certainly an uphill task,"
                        Senator Brume explained.

                        He, therefore, reiterated his call on resource control agitators to join hands
                        to exploit what is feasible now.

                        "That was the advice I was giving and it seems as if I was either
                        misunderstood or people just did not want to pay proper attention to what I
                        will describe as a mature advice," the Senator disclosed; adding "given, from
                        the pedestal of my knowing, what is happening in the centre. "I am not
                        saying that people should not agitate for resource control, but if you are to
                        do it lawfully and constitutionally, it will take a long time and it is an uphill
                        task."

                        Continuing, he added: "I am believing that more and more people are coming
                        to understand the real issue. What we want to see is that the present two to
                        three billion naira that is coming to the Niger Delta or Delta State every
                        month from the derivation principle be increased to five or six billion.

                        "That, I believe, is the real and truer interest of the people of the Niger Delta
                        rather than mere sloganeering," Brume stated, adding: "Whether you call it
                        resource control or derivation principle, the bottom line is, we want more
                        money to come for the development of the area."

                        On her part, Mrs. Brume called on Nigerian women to exert more influence
                        on their families, first of all their children, husbands and also the community
                        around them.

                        Speaking on recent high rate of crime in the country, she said: "They
                        (Christian women)should try to be alive and do whatever they can, because
                        women see things more and are more sensitive and prone to identifying what
                        is wrong and finding a solution."

                        Mrs. Brume said if people knew the Lord and fear God, the society would
                        be a better place. She therefore, called on Nigerians to have the fear of God
                        and speak the truth always, adding "if you do that, they say against the law
                        of God there is no other law."

                        The occasion which was attended by Ambassador Moses Ihonde, Pastor
                        Femi Oyinsan, Deacon Godwin Daniel, Mrs Philippa Adewumi was also
                        used to honour five Nigerians who have contributed to the realisation of the
                        vision.

                        Those who received awards included Reverend Kole Olowofoyepo,
                        Senator Adewumi, Engineer (Mrs) Oyenike Saulawa who was said to have
                        designed the modest structure, Mr. Okpere and Mr Femi Samuel.