Posted by By EMMANUEL OGOIGBE, Warri on
A foremost traditional ruler in the Niger Delta, His Majesty Emmanuel Kimia, has warned the Federal Government against further use of force in the region, saying such action will worsen the prevailing situation.
A foremost traditional ruler in the Niger Delta, His Majesty Emmanuel Kimia, has warned the Federal Government against further use of force in the region, saying such action will worsen the prevailing situation.
Rather, he said, government should dialogue with leaders and stakeholders and come out with modalities on the way forward. Kimia, the Amananaowei 111 of Agbere, Tarikiri Kingdom of Bayelsa State, told Daily Sun in Warri, Delta State that other Nigerians were living in affluence while those from the oil bearing communities were living in squalor, penury and abject poverty.
'The situation is so pathetic that the area that accounts for about 90 percent of the nation's wealth is dying while nobody cares for them. All we hear is boards of commission, committees and spurious appointments which serve as further marginalization of the region," said the monarch, insisting there must be equality.
He, however, advised President Umar Yar'Adua to present the masterplan for the development of the Niger Delta to construction companies and ask them to build bridges where necessary, sandfill all the swampy areas for erection of houses, agricultural scheme, canalization of creeks for vessels to move materials in and out of the coastal areas.
The traditional ruler maintained that the so-called militants should be encouraged by giving them jobs and small scale loans so that they can be gainfully employed and be useful to themselves and the society.
He commended the oil companies, especially the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) for recently providing 21 electricity generating sets to host communities in the state but expressed dismay over the lukewarm attitude of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN).