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Ijaw communities blame ministers for Southsouth’s woes
By Mike Odiegwu, Port Harcourt
Ijaw communities on Sunday said ministers from the Southsouth are to blame for the region’s underdevelopment.
They said the ministers have done little to lift the people out of poverty.
The communities, under the Movement for the Survival of Izon Ethnic Nationality in Niger Delta (MOSIEND), criticised the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources Chief Timipre Sylva; Minister for Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio and the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi.
MOSIEND, in a statement by its National Mobilisation Officer, Alhaji Abubaka Brown, after a consultative meeting with ethnic youth leaders from Rivers State, said it was regrettable that six years into the Buhari administration, none of the ministers had initiated and completed a reasonable project in the region.
The statement said: “Our kinsmen, who are privileged to be at the corridors of power under Buhari’s government have failed us. We are disappointed by their insensitivity to the plight of the region, they’re definitely not representing the interest and people of the region.
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“How many of the serving ministers have approached Mr President to suggest ways and means of implementing the 16 point agenda presented to the President since 2016 by PANDEF and traditional rulers in the region?
“What extra efforts have they invested towards addressing some of the teething issues plaguing the socio-economic development of the region. A former minister Dr Ibe Kachikwu was the only person, who rallied around stakeholders, PANDEF traditional rulers to douse the militants’ actions”.
Brown said the increasing insecurity, unemployment, disquiet and disaffection in the region was caused by a lack of synergy, unity of purpose and zero vision by federal appointees from the region.
He said it was unfortunate that Niger Delta ministers had failed to display the traits of good politicians.
He said: “This is the reason why their supporters can defect in droves. How come their ardent supporters are hungry and looking ragtag? Meanwhile, their counterparts from other regions especially in the North and West have several joint conferences, summits and strategic engagement across party divides to collectively address their situations. Ours are positioned in a daggers’ drawn posture.
“One begins to wonder whether it is the same crop of ministers, who back then as governors, worked very hard and became the pride of the region due to their high level of performance amongst their fellow governors.
“So, what’s the reason for the sudden withdrawal tendencies and wallowing in inertia. Some of them were united against Ex-President Jonathan’s second term bid, but fell apart immediately they accomplished their mission.
“Nearly two years to the expiration of this government, it is beginning to tell on us that we are at the receiving end. Nothing is working, nothing tangible has been achieved.
“How can we move forward when our supposed leaders at the centre, in the same party cannot be united for party sake, nor for the sake of fulfilling regional aspirations to make a difference.
“Indeed, the Hausas and Yorubas are better politicians when compared to our people. The Hausas and Yorubas are never divided when it comes to regional development, they will set pride aside, bury their hatchet and tackle their common problems head-on, ours is the direct opposite.
“We are deeply worried by the endless maltreatment meted on civil servants, who hail from Niger Delta in the various Ministries, Parastatals and Agencies.
“The bitter truth is that we are, indeed the architect of our undoing. We urge them to have a rethink and change their attitude towards their people and region, the government is gradually winding up and they will come back home.”
