Ugo Aliogo
The premier coalition of all civil society in the Niger Delta, the United Niger Delta Energy Development Security Strategy (UNDEDSS), has condemned the attempt by the federal government to impact the region negatively by attempting to pass the Water Resources Management Bill, currently before the National Assembly.
In a statement signed by its Executive Secretary, Tony Uranta, after rising from its 12th annual general assembly meeting held in Uyo, Akwa Ibom, UNDEDSS (which has been in the forefront of the region’s non-violent struggle for security, stability, justice and development globally for well over a decade) admitted that the federal government has tried to win over the Niger Delta, but without the expected degree of success, because of an absence of focused sincerity.
“While we commend the efforts of Ministers of Petroleum and Niger Delta, namely: Dr. Ibe Kachikwu and Pastor Usani Usani, who are working in tandem with the president’s new Special Adviser on the Niger Delta, Professor Charles Dokubo, to coordinate and expedite development and security within our beleaguered region,†stated UNDEDSS, “these men will never achieve any sustainable progress until the full political will of the federal government is seen to back their efforts to the fullest!â€
“We cannot understand, for example, why Mr. President’s SA, Professor Dokubo has not been saved by the presidency, from running a gauntlet, by staffers he inherited, who appear hell-bent on not letting him operate optimally according to good governance standards,†opined Uranta.
“The Niger Delta has tolerated the government’s inability to fulfill many promises, including not commencing any substantial work regarding the Ogoni clean-up etc.,†the UNDEDSS scribe continued, “but, we cannot guarantee that the region’s peoples will remain calm with the introduction of this obnoxiously irredentist Water Resources Management Bill!â€
Finally, UNDEDSS warns that there is a suspicion, even in foreign diplomatic circles, that there may be a very unpatriotic design to provoke the region into exiting its status quo which supports amity, peace and national well-being; and, prays that the federal government will pursue peace as we enter the 2019 elections campaign season.
