President Jonathan And The Niger Delta

The spokesman for the President of Nigeria, Dr Reuben Abati last week responded to allegations in a national medium that President Goodluck Jonathan had provided more developmental projects in the Niger Delta, his geo-political zone, than any other in his four-month old administration.

Dr Abati in denying the allegation failed to give the basis for such denial to convince Nigerians of the fact. More importantly, the Presidency did not talk about the issues that have taken the Niger Delta to near state of emergency time and again that Nigeria was yet to address.

This approach would have most eminently re-assured the people of the Niger Delta that the Presidency was fully abreast with the real challenges of the region. On the other hand, it would have put on the conscience of the nation, the obligation the country owes the Niger Delta. This should not be reduced to petty sectional or political talk.

It will be un-profitable to join issues with the masterminds of the unfortunate allegation because of its parlous state. But what should bother every Nigerian is the desperation that now drives the desire to destabilise Nigeria by some people. This allegation is another example of seeking anything to discredit the President because of his minority origin.

Without holding brief for President Jonathan, no sane person can draw conclusions on an administration that is less than five months. No one that seeks the good of the country should blackmail the President into making him neglect his duties to the Niger Delta and perhaps maintain the status quo that would make the region boil again.

It is also possible that the allegation was intended to mock the president and make the people of the region think that not much had changed after a son of the Niger Delta took office as President of Nigeria. If this is to whittle down the support the president enjoys from the region, then they would need to try again.

It should be on record that even the Amnesty Programme that tends to divert the attention of the people was initiated by late Shehu Musa Yar’Adua his predecessor. If the great accomplishment is the University of Otuoke, Nigerians know how many universities he established in the northern part of Nigeria.

Why then would anyone suggest that the President was neglecting the other geo-political zones and developing the Niger Delta. What are the projects that have come to the Niger Delta that should make any group jealous?

But this allegation should serve to remind the President of the great expectations of the Niger Delta . As a son of the Niger Delta who should know the real challenge of the people, God has given him the duty to resolve the problems of the Niger Delta once and for all. No blackmail should deter him.

In fact, President Jonathan should be worried that his geo-political region has the worst sets of roads in the country. The southern half of the country actually has about the worst record of road carnage in the whole of Africa. The only road linking the region to the rest of Nigeria, the East West Road is in a scandalous state.

That the roads are chaotic did not help the water-ways in the region. In addition to silting rivers, post war wreckages and absence of navigational signs, activities of pirates and common bandits have made the water-ways mostly un-safe.

This has crippled transportation and transport businesses in some areas. What this had done to business and the delivery of governmental services can best be imagined. Sadly, even the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) that is expected to intervene had moved from being poorly funded to, executive recklessness and total stagnation.

While the people of Niger Delta would want to see changes in these areas, the Federal Government under President Jonathan should give Nigeria a progressive Petroleum Act, Land Use Act and local administration system. The current local government system, for instance, has been made impotent. They need to be made administrative units under the states and be removed from the constitution as a tier of government.

Perhaps, the greatest gift the present administration should give to Nigeria is the implementation of true federalism. It would usher in fiscal federalism and promote healthy competition among the states and constituent parts of the country, especially in growing the economy.

These are the major concerns of the Niger Delta and Nigeria as a whole. We must all encourage the President to commit to them rather than struggle to scatter and waste the national cake. If the Niger Delta is being developed for once, it should make everyone proud. Niger Delta is after all part of Nigeria, besides, the bulk of the nation’s wealth come from the region.