Ex-Agitator Blames N’Delta Office Holders For Under-Development . . . Supports ‘No Open Grazing’

by Chris Mark

YENAGOA: A Niger Delta ex-agitator and the National President of the Leadership, Peace and Cultural Development Initiative (LPCDI), Pastor Reuben Wilson said political office holders at the federal level are responsible for the under-development of the Niger Delta region.

Pastor Reuben who stated this in an exclusive interview with Our Correspondent in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital also accused the sons and daughters from the region, occuping federal offices of high level conspiracy to deliberately impoverish the people.

According to him; “It is painful that monies meant to develop the region are siphoned and diverted into private pockets, just to exhibit affluence at the detriment of the people who elected them.”

He lamented a situation whereby contracts for the development of the area were awarded and monies paid without any feasible project on ground, stating that the people of the region are angered by the gross under-development being experienced.

“The State and Federal governments should do something about developing the area. We were agitating so that roads can get to our communities but nothing has been done. We need roads in the Niger Delta, but rather people are busy sharing monies meant to develop this our region.

“That is the money people have been sharing in NDDC. People will get a contract and will not execute such contract yet full payment will be made to them. My advice would rather go to the government at the centre, our ministers and leaders in the Niger Delta that they should try to bring development to the region and that is what the people need for now.

“Government should come down to our communities to see how the area can be developed. Look at my community, Koluama in Southern Ijaw LGA of Bayelsa State, there is oil spillage recently and no company has come out to claim responsibility. The people livelihood has been affected, the people can no longer fish. Also, the government has not done anything to impress on the company to clean up the spill.

“There was this Chevron North Apoi Gas Rig explosion in Koluama on 16th January, 2012 when Dr. Goodluck Jonathan was President and nothing has been done to bring succour to the people and the affected communities to date. Imagine the environmental effect of that Rig explosion on humans, yet neither the oil company that owned the Rig nor the government then did any thing to ameoilorate the impact of the explosion.

“I can recall that Dr. Goodluck directed Mr. Kingsley Kuku, the then Amnesty boss to include the communities impacted by the koluama gas explosion into the amnesty programme but the present amnesty boss has refused to pay them their stipends and allowances, some of them are in their final year, others are in their third year. It is not a bad idea to bring in more youths into the programme but he should first of all pay those that have already been captured before thinking of implementing another 30% percent for impacted  communities.

Pastor Reuben who is also the leader of the ex-agitators in the Niger Delta averred that in order to curb youths restiveness, the oil companies should make as a policy to employ at least 20 youths per community.

“It is a very sad situation in terms of employment of our youths by oil multinational companies, what we have in the region is oil companies bringing people from outside to take the jobs that are supposed to be for the youths. Our leaders at the front level should also try and provide jobs for the youths.

“The youths in our region need to be empowered and developed in terms of their capacity. Everybody in the Niger Delta need development. The people are suffering and our leaders are turning blind eyes to their plight and are expecting support during elections.”

The Ex-Agitator turned Niger Delta Peace Advocate took a swipe on the Interim Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Col. Milland Dikio for his lack of foresight and focus, noting that the amnesty boss incompetence is attributed to his lack of knowledge on how the amnesty programme works.

“For me I am preparing something to present to the National Security Adviser to the President, to take action concerning the amnesty boss, because the person he appointed lacks understanding and is not familiar with the business. He is not familiar with the people, so things cannot work. Salaries have not been paid till date and the youths have not been paid, yet N26b was returned to the federal government.

“It was never heard that about N26b naira was returned, because  those who were previously appointed as SA on amnesty were doing the right thing by disbursing monies to the amnesty beneficiaries and payment of contractors.

“But the current amnesty boss was sitting idle doing nothing until monies were returned to FG account.

“Let the amnesty boss mention one ex- agitator that is working in the amnesty office, none I tell you. Col. Dikio is not treating the ex-agitators well, may be because he is not farmiliar with the people. When the interim administrator held a meeting with ex-agitators, we suggested meeting with the National Security Adviser which he obliged but till now nothing has happened and the people have been calling to know when to meet with the NSA but he had not been picking my calls.

“The youths are not happy about the current happenings in the Niger Delta. So government have to come up with something, the Niger Delta leaders have to come up with something. We want the NDDC  to make their plans about the development of the region known to the people, the Niger Delta ministry have to unfold their plans to the region. They have to come out with a blue print for the development of the area.”

On the murderous activities of the Fulani herdersmen, the youth Activist and National President of LCPDI said he is particularly pained that Niger Delta citizens have been murdered and slaughtered in cold blood by the herdsmen, warning that if killings by the Fulani herdersmen continues, the people of the region would have no other option than to retaliate.

Pastor Reuben noted that the only thing that can stop the killings and for peace to reign is for the Fulani herdersmen to leave the Niger Delta region, adding that the Niger Delta governors and leaders should take a stand in order to halt the killings by the killer-herdsmen.

“I have said it before that the people we voted for are not representing us well even to protect us. Not long ago, herdsmen killed ten Niger Delta citizens in Edo State and nothing had been done. Our governors are busy romancing with the centre seeking what they can get. They are playing politics with the peoples’ life.

“So, for me the Fulani herdsmen should leave the Niger Delta region, that is the only way peace can be experienced in the area. If they continue to stay, the killings will continue. We are a very peaceful people and the only people we have problem with is the federal government and the multi-national oil companies that refuse to employ and develop the area.

“We do not have problem with the herdsmen, we see them as human beings but because of the killings they have introduced in the region they should leave the area. The governors and the political leaders have to stand up to ask the herdersmen to leave. But if nothing is done and the people may likely take up arms in retaliation it will be distractrous. The governors should declare that the Fulani herdsmen should leave the region.

“The way and manner these Fulani herdersmen are coming in droves into the Niger Delta region is very frienghtening to say the least. Our leaders should do something to protect us, it is painful seeing people being slaughtered and causing problem here and there. I have not heard the Bayelea State Governerment say something about the killings. They should go and that is my opinion,.”

Pastor Reuben while appreciating Mr. President for the love shown towards the Niger Deltans, urged him to do more by appointing those who worked during the 2020 Governorship election as well as other vibrant youths who have APC at heart into sensitive positions, advising that the APC in Bayelsa need to be united in order to move the party forward.