*South-South Govs React, Say Militants ill-informed, not committed to N’Delta development
An umbrella body of Niger Delta militant organizations working under the auspices of the Reformed Niger Delta Avengers, RNDA, has pulled the plug on the 7-point demands of the South South governors, including true federalism and resource control.
The RNDA warned that the governors actions are politically selfish as they are carrying out internal colonialism in their various states to host oil-producing communities who ought to be paid directly a federal government’s determined 13% Derivation fund to oil producing communities to ameliorate their sufferings arising from environmental degradation.
While pulling the plug on the six south south governors 7-point demands, the Niger Delta Militants said the governors position is not an accurate representation of the true perspectives of the various and diverse stakeholders.
According to the RNDA, the Federal Government should consequently to shut the door against the 7-point demands the South-South governors until the South-South governors themselves commence the process of releasing 13 per cent derivation fund directly to the oil-producing communities that are directly impacted by oil and gas exploration activities.
In another vein, the militants also told the governors to render an account for about N40 trillion derivation fund purportedly released to South-South States for onward transmission to oil producing communities.
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RNDA in a statement by Johnmark Ezonebi, insisted that the 7-point demand by governors of the South South region at the Port-Harcourt stakeholders meeting with the federal government delegation led by Professor Ibrahim Gambari, Chief of Staff to president Muhammadu Buhari amounted to pronouncements with political slants in favour of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
The militants further alleged that the South-South governors are engaging in internal colonialism to the disadvantage of host oil producing communities of the South South region through alleged inappropriate deployment of the 13% Derivation fund to purposes other than for that which it is meant.
Recall that South-South governors, leaders and other relevant stakeholders had met early this week in Port-Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, with a federal government delegation, led by the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof Ibrahim Gambari where they made a 7-point demand.
At that stakeholders meeting were Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, the highest political office holder from the South-South region, governors of the region including Governors Nyesom Wike (Rivers state), Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta), Udom Emmanuel(Akwa-Ibom), Godwin Obaseki (Edo),Ben Ayade (Cross River), Douye Diri(Bayelsa)as well as ministers from the region.
They included Minister of Petroleum Resources (State), Chief Timipre Sylva, Minister of Health, Ehanire, Minister of State for Labour, Chief Festus Keyamo, Minister of State for Power, Chief Jedy Agba, Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, SSA to the President on Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Ita Enang.
However, the Akwa-Ibom State Governor apparently reacting on behalf of his colleagues said the militant RNDA should focus on development of the Niger Delta region and not concern itself with issues that would pull down the South South.
Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Ini Ememobong who spoke on behalf of the state governor insisted that ” it was not possible to ask the incumbent governors to come and account for derivation funds since the payment didn’t start with their administration.”
Vanguard newspaper quoted the Commissioner as saying: “My advice to the militants is that they should look at issues affecting the Niger Delta. They should go to Olobiri and take pictures, they should also find out how far the Ogoni clean up in Rivers State has so far been carried out.
“I also urge them to go to Ibeno in Akwa Ibom State, and analyse why corrugated zinc roofing sheet cannot last for more than two years? They should find out why railway line should be done from some states in the country to Niger Republic when there is none in the South South.
” If they do not draw attention to manifest issues of neglect, deprivation of the Niger Delta, evident in the poor state of federal roads like the East West road, Calabar-Itu Road, etc, then it will leave no conclusion other than the fact that their message has a political agenda.
“So the tone of the militants, message seems to have the voice of Jacob, but the hand of Esau”
However, the RNDA in its statement insist that: “RNDA and the nine militant groups vehemently reject and oppose the seven-point demands made by the governors of the South-South region following their meeting with a delegation of the federal government, headed by the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof Ibrahim Gambari, at Port Harcourt, Rivers State…
“If anything, and if at all, the governors should first of all come out openly to give proper account of the over N44.9 to N50 trillion that these South -South governors have collected from the federal government as 13 percent derivation fund through the Federation Accounts all these years without any tangible meaningful people -oriented human capital development to address the sufferings of the people of the oil rich region.
“This is why the oil and gas producing communities’ demand that the federal government should stop, henceforth, paying the 13 percent derivation fund to governors. The governors are owing debts to the tune of over N2 trillion. Records from the Debt Management Office shows the South-South states alone is indebted to the tune of N1.4 trillion,” militants said.
According to the militant group…
“Yet the oil and gas producing communities which are the legitimate owners of these 13 per cent funds through the proceeds of the crude oil production from their backyard are still wallowing in abject poverty with all this huge amount in trillions in the hands of these South- South governors and now, they still have the temerity to demand for restructuring and resource control.
“How will that be possible at this point in time? These South-South governors cannot fool us anymore. Our governors have embezzled and mismanaged these monies with their cronies and nothing to show, no meaningful projects, no people- oriented human capital development in the creeks and nothing reasonable to show for the huge amount.
“How can they now be pointing fingers at the federal government for the underdevelopment in the region and now coming up to demand for restructuring, resource control and true federalism when there is no equity, fairness and justice from the side of these South- South governors…”
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