THE CHALLENGES OF THE Niger DELTA

THE CHALLENGES OF THE Niger DELTA


BY

EBUTE RAPHAEL (A student of the National Missionary Seminary of St. Paul Gwagwalada)



A visit to the creeks of Ojobo and Torugbene towns in Delta State would show how the communities in the entire Niger Delta are blessed with enormous natural resources but still live without basic amenities, such as electricity, pipe-bone water, roads and others necessities which make life comfortable. Ojobo, like many other communities in the Niger Delta, is an oil rich community which is supposed to enjoy electricity and other amenities because of the oil exploitation activities which is the major source of income to the country; but the reverse has been the case. The only means of transportation for the people in and out of the creeks is the speed boat which is very costly. The people of the area can not think of buying cars not because some may not be able to afford it but because there just no roads to drive cars. Due to the high cost of transportation, the prices of things are very high compared to other parts of the country. The big River that cut across the communities is the source of drinking water and other domestic activities and yet it also serves as toilets for the people. It is something unthinkable that the people drink that unhygienic water. But it is the reality. Owing to the fact that area is swampy, whenever it rains, the entire land is enmeshed with mud and the people find it difficult to move without wearing a rain boots, and even at that, one is afraid of being drowned in the mud. The rivers often overflow their banks the banks and invade the houses in the area; a situation that has become natural after so many years of neglect. It is however heartwarming to note that Government has embarked on steps to turn things around in the area. President Umaru Musa Yar’ Adua has listed the problems of the Niger Delta amongst his seven point agenda and to have a first hand experience of the area, the President has visited some states in the area. On his last visit to Bayelsa State in July this year, the President commissioned some roads and flagged off the construction of an Airport. Mr. President has since created the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs which is working tirelessly already for the development of the area. The ongoing Amnesty Programme towards solving the problem of militancy in the area is another strong indication of government’s resolve to find a lasting solution to the problems of the Niger Delta. But there is still much work to be done. For instance there is need for the urgent construction of a road from Tuomo down to Ojobo, extending to Burutu to link up the communities and reduce the high cost of water transportation. This would make it easier and faster to move within the area. Roads should also be constructed within communities to curb the difficulties encountered in walking through the muddy paths. The provision of Pipe-born water would also help the people in getting clean water to enhance their health. There is also serious need for electricity to boost the social and commercial life of the people. Drainage channels and embankments should be constructed around the river banks which would help to check the problem of flooding. It has been argued that the activities of militants in the area is a product of many years of neglect and injustice; but having accepted the Amnesty granted by the Federal Government, it is expected that the militants would refrain from violence and wait for positive changes in the area. Also, THERE is NEED for public officials in the Niger Delta to make judicious use of governments’ allocation to the area. There is no such thing as a hopeless situation; therefore let Nigerians not loose hope over the development of the Niger Delta and the entire nation in general; rather let all hands be on deck as a sign of our collective will to make our nation great!

Recorded Live from FRCN