PIB designed to further marginalise Niger Delta, says Ijaw leader Okaba
THE NATION
President, Ijaw National Congress (INC), Prof. Benjamin Okaba, is angry over the content of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) just signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari.
He, like many Nigerians of Niger Delta origin, is particularly distraught that only 3% is approved as host community trust fund as against the minimum of 10% sought by the people, and the allocation of 30% to frontier basins, none of which is in the region.
For him, the act is nothing short of an attempt to further marginalise the people of the oil producing zone.
“It is our conviction that the Act in its entirety was never intended to reform the oil sector, the NNPC and develop the Niger Delta as claimed by state apologists,” Okaba told The Nation in an interview.
He added: “It is an exercise to rob Peter (Ijaw and the Niger Delta) to pay Paul and intensify and expand the degree and scope of denial of our people’s right to resource justice, equity and sustainable livelihood.”
He deplored “this insensitivity to the yearnings of the suffering Ijaw people”, saying that government’s action suggests that “our ill-feelings and agitations against criminal exploitation, human and environmental degradation and gross underdevelopment in spite of our rich God given resources are inconsequential because of the minority status we suffer in the Nigerian contraption.”
But he vows that the INC which he leads will fight on and “press harder for Restructuring, Resource Ownership and Management.”
He is disappointed at the role played by some people, including the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Mr. Timipre Sylva, in the shape taken by the PIB.
“Without trying to personalise issues, we express no surprise at the actions, involvement and defence of the characters you are referring to.
“Their stance on Ijaw matters and the Niger Delta are well known by the people. As far as we are concerned, they have offered themselves as the willing horses to patronise the interest of their paymasters even to the detriment of their suffering brothers and sisters,” Okaba said.