By Etete Enideneze
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The convocation of all Ijaws to chart new paths towards environmental and economic survival in the Nigerian State, is a timely move in view of current realities of hardship, depletion of crude oil, damaged environment, sale of major stakes by multinational corporations and their impending exit from the Niger Delta.
Stakeholders stated this in Yenagoa, Port-Harcourt, Lagos and Abuja, where conversations were held to garner more input that will guide deliberations in a maiden Pan-Ijaw Economic Summit coming up December this year.
The stakeholders recalled that many conferences had ended as mere talkshows without actions to realize the ideas hence, they have tasked Ijaws and organisers of the upcoming summit to ensure that the resolutions lead to positive results.
During a pre-summit interactive session held at the Dr. Goodluck Jonathan Conference Hall in Azaiki Public Library, Amarata-Epie, Yenagoa, various speakers, bared their minds. For instance, Engr. Charles Ambaowei, Professor Thomas Commander, Professor Barclays Ayakoromo, Hon (Mrs.) Omoni Festus Sodaguwo, Engr. Udengs Eradiri and Hon. Ernest Tonye expressed similar views on the overdue delay in matching words with actions to tackle the known problems, which solutions had been suggested over the years.
Many of the speakers decried the over six decades of environmental damage caused by crude oil and gas exploration in the Niger Delta, with attendant health hazards as well as inequitable economic development. Thus, they called on Ijaws to look inwards and change the plight of the people, while expecting government and multinational corporations to do their part.
The discussants recognized the limitations imposed by the 1999 Constitution and other federal laws on rights over natural resources and self-determination.
However, they underscored the need for selfless and development-oriented leadership on the part of Ijaws. According to them, Ijaws and states of the Niger Delta could leverage on agriculture; petroleum refineries; education; roads, bridges and railways to link up parts of Ijaw land; seaports, marine and blue economy, tourism; Information Communication Technology, digital economy and electricity sectors, which potential abound, and do so also through joint-states’ efforts.
On the issue of sale of major multinational oil firms having their main operations in the Niger Delta, Engr. Alaowei Indiamowei re-echoed Ms Ann-Kio Brigg’s public advocacy that, at least, 20 percent of equity shareholding in the new companies should be concessionally alloted to oil bearing communities in place of their natural resources.
In addition, Hon. Omoni Festus Sodaguwo who had earlier spoken on behalf of forum of former House of Representatives members, also opined that Ijaws and Niger Deltans should be appointed onto the management board of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited, to protect the people’s interest in allocation of oil minning licences.
In her contribution, Dr. (Mrs.) Faith Izibeanua, Commissioner for Marine and Blue Economy, who was represented by a director from the ministry, hinted of Bayelsa State Government’s policies to explore the rich sector, adding that the on-coming Pan-Ijaw Economic Summit would also be of use to the mandate of the ministry.
On gender equity, Dr. (Mrs.) Barry Ikosomi, who represented vice chancellor of Bayelsa Medical University (BMU), Professor Ebitimitula Nicholas Etebu, stressed inclusive policies for the female folk, for example, balance in the ratio of enrolment of girls into tertiary institutions, as BMU was doing. She also demanded consideration of environmental justice and property rights for women, especially in land tenure system in Ijaw, which had hindered economic fortune of many females.
In his contribution, a business trainer, Mr. Harry Porbeni deplored lack of skills among youths, and overdependence on products from other regions, advocating that the summit should give premium attention to these problems.
Making opening remarks at the Yenagoa and Port-Harcourt interactive sessions respectively, president of Ijaw National Congress (INC), Professor Benjamin Ogele Okaba stated that the Pan-Ijaw Economic Summit would provide a platform to chart new ways towards uniting Ijaws for practical solutions to the environmental and economic problems.
Okaba said while other major ethnic groups and regions already have blueprints for their economic progress, and any eventual break-up of the Nigerian State, Ijaw with a population of 40 million, and the main producer of oil and gas revenues, appeared less organised for self-determination, thus could be taking unaware.
He said the INC under his leadership has submitted a comprehensive map of Ijaw territory, to the United Nations in New York, adding that Ijaw lands and peoples would not be annexed by any group of cessionist or expansionist.
“We have lammented and criticised for too long, amid abundant natural and human resources. God who gave us crude oil, genuinely blessed us. Let us not see it as a curse nor be inferior to other nations. It is time to discuss the way forward and apply the solutions practically”, Professor Okaba further stated.
The INC president said although the Ijaws were at the moment not talking about breaking away from Nigeria, it was vital to join hands to address the lingering problems of environmental degradation, infrastructure lack and economic underdevelopment in Ijaw, which make up a large part of the Niger Delta region.
He assured that local and foreign governmental and non-governmental organisations also willing to support the summit, and implementation of a the resolutions. Okaba pointed out that though political leaders and state governments in Ijaw and Niger Delta have significant roles to play, a private-sector driven multi-stakeholder economic approach would be the new panacea for development.
In his speech, the convener, Professor Steve Azaiki, represented by Dr. (Barr.) Godric Tam Deinduomo, reiterated his remarks made earlier at the Port-Harcourt interactive session held at Orsborn La Hotel, September 9.
Azaiki said the theme of the main summit coming in December this year, at Port-Harcourt, to be preceded with a pre-summit conference in Yenagoa on September 17, focuses on “Environmental Regeneration and Economic Sustainability in Ijaw.
According to him, the interactive sessions were meant to present the ideas to stakeholders, and gather more input into 9 sub-themes covering key sectoral issues, subject to harmonisation of diverse views for final resolutions at the grand summit in December.
The convener expressed hope for feasible outcomes from the summit, considering the enthusiasm shown by stakeholders during the consultative forums held at Abuja, Lagos, Port-Harcourt and Yenagoa. He assured that local and foreign partners, embassies, researchers, consultants and development donor agencies, such as the World Bank and others have indicated interest to support attainment of the strategic objectives of the summit.
Earlier at the Port-Harcourt pre-summit interaction, participants responded overwhelmingly to the essence of the planned summit, while also urging that at the end, the brilliant idea should be for the common good of Ijaws.
This apprehension, according to various discussants, notably, former INC president, Professor Atuboyedia Odianime; Professor Thomas Commander; Chief (Dr.) Emi Membere Utaji, Professor Jasper, Hon. Dawari George and Barr. Iniro Wills was because many attempts to tackle issues affecting Ijaws and the Niger Delta ended in futility. They stated that such efforts failed because of disunity, internal betrayals, mediocrity and bad leadership on the part of some Ijaws and politicians. This, they regretted was despite Ijaws having had opportunities of holding position of petroleum minister, management of the Niger Delta Development Commission, and presidential seat of the country.
Nonetheless, participants at the Port-Harcourt consultative forum, for example, Barr. Wills, Chief (Dr.) Membere, Engr. Charles Ambaowei, Hon. Dawari as well as Professors Commander and Atuboyedia exuded hope for positive outcomes from the upcoming summit, given unity and concerted efforts. Barr Wills for one, stated that with the interactive sessions, which were like conferences on their own, he was sure that the Pan-Ijaw Environmental and Economic Summit might yield better results, a view, which Professor Commander and others corroborated.
In their related contributions, Ms Ann-Kio Briggs, Chief Alfred Alison, Professor Atuboyedia, Professor Opuala Charles and others advanced some additional solutions. They emphasised the need for Ijaws and and Niger Delta states to take advantage of the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy; demand right of first refusal in buying over ownership of multinational oil firms, and federal petroleum refineries in the region.
Other measures include demand for a new federal constitution, removal of dichotomy in artisenal minning of solid minerals in the North and crude oil in the South; cleaning up of the polluted and destroyed environment, tasking of state governors to fund projects the summit would come up with, as well as setting up of committees to ensure implementation of the resolutions.
The last consultation session will take place at Warri, Delta State, ahead of a pre-summit conference billed for Yenagoa on September 17, before the grand summit coming up in December at Port-Harcourt, the Capital of Rivers State.
*Etete Enideneze is a Journalist and writes from Yenagoa, Nigeria
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