Okafor
By Ikenna Orioha, Owerri
Commissioner for Niger Delta Affairs, Prince Henry Okafor, has enjoined youths of Niger Delta not to engage in violent and criminal activities that could cause destruction of pipelines nor ruin development of their area by government and oil conglomerates operating therein.
Okafor also appealed to the youth to often remain peaceful and law-abiding so that the plans of government towards holistic development, socially, economically and otherwise would easily be feasible or attainable with a view to improving good living, goodness, conviviality, comfort and progress, saying actual development does not thrive in violent atmosphere.
He gave the advice in his speech during A One-day Imo Niger Delta Stakeholders/Leaders Meeting held on Tuesday at Chillis Event Centre, Owerri, themed “Fight Against Illegal Oil Bunkering, Illegal Oil Refining And All Forms Of Criminality In The Niger Delta Areas Of Imo State; Development And Wellbeing Of The Imo Niger Delta People”.
“Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs is standing for the owners of the land where Oil Companies operate. We are to defend and speak for their welfare. We are not for politics, we are here to put heads together, find solution to the real challenges faced by our people”, Okafor added.
In his remarks, Chairman of the event, former Inspector General of Police and former Chairman, Police Service Commission, Chief Mike Okiro, stated that the gathering was germane as such would effectively strengthen effort towards mitigating plights of the oil producing communities.
Okiro pointed out that with Prince Henry Okafor saddling the Ministry there would be hope for the people at the end of the tunnel, saying it is the first time such a Ministry would be created to solely look into the needs of the host communities and arrest them squarely.
Contributing, Christian Onyekachi, who hails from Agwa community in Oguta LGA, noted that major problems host communities face is the selfish activities of the Oil Companies operating in the area who he added do not consider the collective interests of the host communities, hence underdevelopment, poverty, restiveness and oil vandalism.
Onyekachi accused the Oil Multinationals of “concentrating majorly on drilling and milking dry the natural resources belonging to the people without due attention to their needs such as bad roads, decaying school structures, lack of electricity, nonpayment of bursaries to students, youths, women, non- oversees or home internships/scholarships for youths, unemployment, among other deficiencies bedeviling the people”.
Onyekachi remarked that the only way Oil Vandalism could be abrogated is when Oil Companies start meeting their Corporate Social Responsibilities to the land owners, with government doing the needful too.
Commissioner for Petroleum, Emeka Ngbudem, past members of Imo State House of Assembly traditional rulers, women, youths and student union leaders, among others, attended the meeting, which was successful.
