By Amos Okioma, Yenagoa
LAGOS APRIL 5TH (URHOBOTODAY)-The Federal Government of Nigeria has been given a path on the back for its recent acceptance of the conversion of the illegal refineries to modular refineries to address the age long environmental degradation and pipeline vandalism in the Niger Delta Region.
The IYC president, Bar. Eric Omare stated this at a press briefing in Yenagoa.
According to him while commending the FG on this laudable initiattives, the IYC express fear of possible hijack of the projects by politicians from other parts of the country who do not feel the environmental hazards of oil and gas exploration, instead it urged the FG to allow the Niger Delta people and communities to source for investors. “we have the capacity as demonstrated by the Gbaramatu’s example. Many have approached the IYC to source for investors. This is to avoid the experience of the past ”
He therefore, suggested that a committee of people with technical, financial and managerial know how and community background would be assembled to source for investors to fund the Operations of modular refineries because this committee would help our people take advantage of the opportunities offered by the modular refinery concept. The IYC has been approached by several people in this regard.
He also called on Niger Delta people irrespective of their status to come forward with ideas on how best to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the modular refinery scheme, stressing that IYC would mobilize and engage visible ethnic leaders towards achieving this aim and why the Niger Delta people are interested is because the concept offers myriads of solutions to our environmental challenges posed by local refineries with the added advantage of skills acquisition and empowerment towards resolving the conflicts and security issues so as to achieve security and and sustainable development of the Niger Delta region. “However, the point must be made clearly that idea of modular refinery and palliatives is not the ultimate solution to the Niger Delta agitation. The ultimate solution to the Niger Delta agitation lies in addressing the question of resource control and management ” he said.
He also called on president Mohammadu Buhari to resuscitate the moribund Burutu Shipyard which is capable of providing employment to unemployed youths of Niger Delta.
He also used the opportunity to call for comprehensive investigation of the killing of a Niger Deltan Amateur footballer Henry Esin Ayabowei who was recently killed in a nightclub in London.