NUPRC 2025 Commercial Bid Conference: A Call For Reflection For The Pains And Agony Of The People Of Niger Delta
Chief (Dr) Ominimni Obiuwevbi
By Chief (Dr.) Obiuwevbi Ominimini
LAGOS JULY 21ST (URHOBOTODAY)It is true that the lives of the people of Niger Delta matter not to the federal government of Nigeria. While government officials sit comfortably at Abuja, allocating God’s giving resources given to the indigenes of Niger Delta to themselves and cronies, the people of Niger Delta are suffering in abject poverty at home.
The minister of Petroleum Gas said that Nigera remains one of the most attractive destinations in the global space. The question we ask remains unanswered. What happens to the lives of the people of the people of Niger Delta for which Nigeria remains attractive with respect to gas flaring and destruction of the ecosystem? What has his ministry done to stop gas flaring, which is a major source of death to the people Niger Delta?. The minister of Petroleum Resources Crude also maintained the same statement and added that Nigeria is a strategic location in the golf of guinea. No doubt the strategic and relevance position of Nigeria is due to the abundance of gas and crude oil in Niger Delta yet the people of the Niger Delta can’t cook or wash with their river water due to the pollution of the entire system from the oil exploration.
From Sapele to Orerokpe, Warri. Jeremi, Okpare, Oviri, Ewu, Kokori, Udu, to Ughelli, Agbarha-Otor, Orogun, Oleh, Ozoro, Kwale, Abor, Yenagoa, Oloibiri, Port Harcout, and to Uyo the under ground water has been polluted without remedy till date. This is nothing but evil. When shall Niger Delta people enjoy their Gods given oil wealth?
We have so many oil blocks and marginal fields. How many of them are owned by Niger Deltan? Though we have the land but the oil wells belong to the block owners, who do not bear the brunt of the oil production. The gas flare penalty usage is hidden from us. In all ramifications, the gas flare penalty should be used to ameliorate the suffering of the people of Niger Delta, whose death rate is increasing daily. The oil is now a curse to us rather than a blessing because of the deliberate attitude of the federal government to exclude us from benefiting from our natural resources.
This is not the Nigeria our leaders fought for. Our leaders fought for a country where sub nits, the federating units control their resources and pay tax to the centre. The military abrogated this in 19966 when Agunyi Ironsi took over the reign of power by military power. All attempts to return Nigeria to her original status remain resisted by the people who enjoy the present status quo. This is oppression and injustice.
When oil was discovered in Oloibiri, the prime minister, Tafawa Balewa, wrote a letter to the Premier of Eastern Region, congratulating him on having an additional source of revenue. While the federal government collects our oil and gas, the gold , lithium and zink among others are left in the hands of the locals who mine them daily. While the artisanal mining of gold is taking place in other parts of Nigeria, the Nigeria army is busy destroying the artisanal Petroleum refinery in Niger Delta.
In fact, we call on the federal government to put up a legal framework work for our locals to access crude to run their artesenal refineries, which should be registered by the government. The boys in the creek who were able to develop local self-made refineries deserve commendations and encouragement. This is how a nation slips into development and self sustainability. Relying on importation of refined products remains a shame to the federal government and NNPCL, who cannot account for the oil monies. Is it not an indictment to the government that our so called gigantic refineries in Nigeria can’t function to give us our local consultation while the local artesenal refineries are being destroyed instead of giving them a legal framework to exist? What a shame.
We hereby call on the federal government to audit and probe the past administration of the NUPRC in the last commercial bid processes, which led to the allocation of so many oil blocks. The forensic process will guide a further clean process. However, a certain parentage of the oil blocks and marginal fields should be reserved for the Niger Deltans. We call for a minimum 60% of the total oil blocks and marginal fields to be reserved for companies own by Niger Deltans. This is one of the surest ways to give sence of belonging to the people of Niger Delta whose oils are being collected to service entire Nigeria without Niger Delta state benefiting from the viable mineral resources domiciled in other parts of Nigeria.
Chief Dr. Obiuwevbi Ominimini is PANDEF National Spokesman & Publicity Secretary and NDC House Of Representative candidate in Ughelli North, Ughelli South and Udu Federal Constituency in 2027 election
For media advert placement, events coverage, media consultancy, placement of publications and further inquiries please WhatsApp 2348023773039 or email: labakevwe@yahoo.com
