N’DELTA OPC Backs Resource Control

The O’dua Peoples Congress (OPC) has said that resource control is the only solution toward resolving the problem of the Niger Delta region. The group also condemned the N25billion package by Federal Government for the settlement of militants in the region. OPC leader, Ganiyu Adams who stated this weekend in an interview with newsmen during the Yoruba Week Programme organised by Yoruba Community Ccouncil (YCC), Rivers State chapter in Port Harcourt said no matter how well intentioned amnesty would not solve the problem of the Niger Delta. According to Comrade Adams, Nigeria is only postponing the evil day by denying the Niger Delta 50 per cent derivation revenue from oil and mineral resources to the oil bearing communities. ‘It is only resource control and restructuring of Nigeria that could solve the problem of Niger Delta. “I commend the federal government for the amnesty programme, but hundreds of amnesty cannot solve the problem of the region. “I don’t know why we are postponing the evil day, we see the truth and we are still dodging from the truth. “The package we are giving the militants is N25billion, and after collecting the package, believe me, another group of militants in the area would emerge again. “Now is the era of Tompolo, Farah, Soboma, Ateke and others. We are dividing them, bribing these people not to go back to struggle, another youth group would come and form another organization for ransom. Postponing the evil day is more destructive to the nation, more lives could be lost in this nation”, OPC leader lamented. However, Ganiyu Adams commended Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi for the infrastructural development in Rivers State. He noted that a lot of places that used to be hazardous and dirty in Port Harcourt, have changed as the present administration embarked on roads dualisation and beautification of Port Harcourt. The leader of OPC used the opportunity to call on all citizens including Yorubas in the state to support Governor Amaechi to do more. On security, Adams lauded Governor Amaechi’s zero tolerance for criminality, adding that insecurity in the state is now a thing of the past. The OPC boss said that not all he read in newspapers about insecurity in Rivers State were correct, saying the media over played the issue of the Niger Delta crisis to the nation and the world in general. “I could not believe that Port Harcourt as a city is as peaceful as this, Adams said.

Enoch Epelle