From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa and Tony Osauzo, Benin
Ijaw youths, under the aegis of Ijaw Youths Council (IYC), have warned the Federal Government not to test the resolve of the Niger Delta people by neglecting and excluding the region in its infrastructural development projects.
Spokesman for the group, Mr. Ebilade Ekerefe, in a statement, yesterday, alleged lopsided sharing pattern in road projects to be constructed by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) under the Federal Government Road Infrastructure and Refreshment Tax Credit Scheme which he alleged excluded vital federal roads in Bayelsa State.
He claimed the region produces the oil and gas wealth the NNPC plans to use in funding the projects, querying why President Muhammadu Buhari and Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, would allow the ‘shortchanging’ of the region.
He said in spite of the peaceful and intellectual agitations by ijaw youths, the administration of President Buhari had continued to shortchange the Niger Delta saying the IYC might have to change its tactics in its engagement with the Federal Government.
The IYC also queried the role of Sylva, who as a Niger Deltan allowed federal roads in the region to be excluded in the proposed 21 roads to be undertaken by the NNPC covering 1804.6kilometer at a cost of N621.2billion tax liabilities.
“For us in the IYC, it did not make sense for NNPC to spend N621.2 billion tax liabilities on road projects, wondering where the money would come from. Is it not from the coastal states, creeks and oil wells of the Niger Delta? What are the benefits of oil exploration, if the Niger Delta people are alienated from the benefits of the wealth generated from our backyard?
“We are amazed by the boldness of the Muhammadu Buhari administration to allocate, out of 1804.6 kilometres of road to be constructed by NNPC, only 288.22 kilometres were allocated to the the south, while 1,516.38 kilometres of roads were allocated to the North. If Niger Delta people decide to severe the wealth supply, no one should blame us. We will no longer consult or give ultimatum, but shock the Nigerian nation for the brazen injustice and marginalization meted on our people. We have been patient enough,” he said.
The IYC also expressed doubt over promises made by the Federal Government on the Brass Fertilizer Company, the Brass LNG and the modular refinery, insisting that it may be a fluke, if an important Nembe-Brass road project is not included in the proposed projects to be undertaken by the NNPC which the minister of state petroleum oversees.
Meanwhile IYC, Western Zone, comprising Ondo, Edo and Delta states, has drawn attention to rising tension in Ogbe-Ijoh in Warri South West Local Gvernment Area over the killing of Pastor Sylvester Yerinbade, an indigene of Ogbe-Ijoh.
The group called on President Buhari and Governor of Delta State, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, to order security agents to immediately fish out killers of the cleric who was allegedly murdered on a disputed land.
Ogbe-Ijoh in Warri South-West Local Government Area and Aladja in Udu Local Government Area of Delta State have been in age-long dispute over a parcel of land which had led to the lost of many lives. Pastor Yerinbade was allegedly killed on the Aladja portion of the land.
A statement by Olu-Derimon Omaghomi lamented that despite the mysterious manner the pastor was killed, no arrest had been made one week after the killing.
He said the manner, way and location the cleric was brutalised and his eventual death had already heighten tension in the Ogbe-Ijaw axis.