Ijaw Youths ask Buhari to tackle Resource Control in Niger Delta

Eric Omare
Comrade Eric Omare, Warri-based legal practitioner, is the spokesperson of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide spoke on resource control as a major factor facing the region. Read Details

Excerpts from his interview:

How will you rate this present government and what’s your take on its policies?
After more than a year in office, I think one can give a preliminary assessment of the performance of the Buhari administration vis a vis its campaign promises. Generally I think the government has failed to fulfill most of its campaign promises especially in the area of economy. Even in the fight against corruption, as Rev. Father Kukah rightly said, the anti-corruption fight is targeted at individuals instead of empowering the relevant institutions to fight corruption and also address the factors responsible for corruption in our system. On policies, from what we have seen wrong economic policies beyond the issue of reduced global oil price is responsible for the present poor economic situation. Also we can’t really point to clear cut policies and direction of the Buhari administration. The government lacks direction. Even in the area of electoral reform which has suffered so much set back under Buhari. Elections now are hardly conclusive. Inconclusive elections are now the order of the day.

Do you agree with the notion that some regions are being marginalized by this government? It depends on the issues involved. Nigerian politics is ethnic based but as President you have to make conscious efforts to balance it and give all parts of the country a sense of belonging. However, in the case of Buhari he is surrounded by only relatives and people from a particular section of the country hence most of his appointments are from the northern part of the country in violation of the federal character principle. The distribution and execution of developmental projects would also follow this pattern. So to that extent some sections of the country are marginalized especially the south-south and south eastern parts.

What is your take on the current agitation in the Niger Delta region?
The current agitation in the Niger Delta region is not new to me. This is so because I know that without addressing the fundamental issue of resource ownership and control, there would continue to be agitation in the Niger Delta region. The solution therefore is for the government to summon the courage and address the resource question in Nigeria once and for all.

Do you think the Niger Delta region is being marginalized?
I think it is better to address the Niger Delta question from the perspective of resource ownership rather than the general term marginalization. Every part of the country can lay claim to marginalization. But what distinguishes the Niger Delta region from other parts of the country is that we carry the burden of producing the resources that sustains the entire country without commiserate return. This is where the cry of underdevelopment, marginalization or whatever you call it comes from.






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