By Oghenekevwe Laba, Lagos
Following the continuous deplorable condition of the Niger Delta region mostly the worsening condition of the East-West Road, group under the aegis of Izon Ikemi made of Ijaws in Nigeria and Diaspora has appealed to President Goodluck Jonathan to sack their own kinsman Minister of Niger Delta Region, Elder Orubebe.
It would be recalled that the group is not the only one that had demanded for the sack of the Minister due to poor his poor performance, Ex-Warlords like Asari Dokubo and his colleagues, several Ijaw groups, and non-ijaw indigenes have protested about the continuous stay of Orubebe in office as Minister of Niger Delta Affairs.
The group who made the demand in a communiqué signed by the Chairman of Izon Ikemi Tony ‘Iprinye Uranta , Chief Tom Ateke, Ebikabowei Victor Ben (a.k.a Boyloaf), Paul Eris (a.k.a Ogunboss), Sobomabo Jackris (a.k.a Egberi Papa), Chief Kalaiti Jephthah and Chief Dere Biemgbo Ofokome among other Ijaw prominent indigenes after a meeting in FESTAC, Lagos, said with the unarguable failure of Orubebe to perform in the Niger Delta region coupled with the sad state of affairs of the IZON people they are demanding for his immediate sack.
Given reasons for their request the argued, “The East–West Road, traversing the Niger Delta region and into the southern states of the Country as a putative Trunk “A” federal road has remained in a terrible state in spite of the deadly nature that the road has deteriorated into. Rather than taking pragmatic steps to check the devastating trend, the Hon Minister of the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs has been more occupied with face saving media engagements.
“That the Niger Delta Region has continued to suffer criminal neglect in spite of the cry of the indigenes for proper attention/remedial actions on account of environmental degradation, pollution and other negative effects associated with exploration and production activities of the Oil Companies, the quality of life of the people speedily declines by the day, the region lags far behind its Nigerian counterparts in terms of basic infrastructures such as roads, education, health care services, pipe borne water and electricity. The end result is widespread poverty and high rate of frustration throughout the region.
“In the light of the above argument and myriad of other very obvious and sad state of affairs, Izon Ikemi demand as minimum demonstration that the President is sensitive to the yearnings and aspirations of his kinsmen and the Nigerian electorate, the immediate removal of the Hon Minister of the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe, and the concomitant public call, by Mr. President, on all Federal Government Millenium Development Agencies ( MDAs) relevant to the region to become more visibly effectual and accountable to the citizenry.”
The group demanded that the oil and gas producing communities who bear the brunt of exploration should directly manage the derivation funds from the Federation Account that are currently going to the State Government coffers, just as it urged the relevant government institutions and the Presidency to commence the process, forthwith, of ensuring that administrative committees come on stream through appropriate mechanism, to correct the obvious injustice of paying the 13% Derivation Fund through State Governors that have not always been transparent nor accountable with said monies!
The group said the passage into an Act of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) long before the National Assembly be expedited as being a critical tool to boosting the nation’s revenue-monitoring systems, and positively impacting the lives of all Nigerian citizens, including those in the Niger Delta region.
“ In this wise, we strongly advise National Legislators to focus less attention on parochialisms and be more concerned about the PIB’s far reaching objectives of ensuring efficient and transparent management of the petroleum sector, to the benefit of all Nigerians. Izon Ikemi reiterates its unshaken faith in, and support for, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and his administration, whilst calling for urgent attention to be given to the peoples’ desire for an even better management of regional and national affairs by his agents in the Federal MDAs.”