National Confab: Rivers Delegates Told To Protect State Interest

As the National
Conference kicks off in Abuja, today, Rivers State delegates to the conference have been advised to protect the interest of the state above their personal, socio – political or ethnic interests.
They were also warned not to allow their differences to becloud the pursuit for equity, justice, fairness and peace for the state and nation at large.
Rising from a mini conference which was organised by the Rivers Mainstream Coalition (RMC) at the Hotel Presidential, Port Harcourt last Saturday, all speakers were unanimous that delegates should not be influenced by the current political cleavage in the state, saying that they were not there to respresent any political party but the interest of the Rivers people.
A 19-point resolution was drafted at the end of the conference which had Elder Gomba Osarollor, a former Commissioner for Agriculture in the old Rivers State as Chairman with Chief A. K. Horsefall, former Chairman of OMPADEC and former Director of State Security Service  presenting the key note address.
Central to the issues discussed was the position of Rivers people on resource control, fiscal federalism, peace and security, protection of the environment from wanton and brazen destruction, among others.
The speakers which also include Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs, Prof. Israel Owaite, Sen. Benet Birabi, Dr. Sofiri Peterside, Chief Tom Big-Harry, Mrs. Nimi Tom-Manuel, Hon. (Barr) Nimi Walson Jack, Dr. Briggs Damabo, Faye Dikio (SAN), Sara Igbe and Dr. Ben Ohia, were unequivocal in their support for a fiscal federalism where the federating units would contribute 50% of proceeds from its controlled resources to the central government.
Chief A.K. Horsefall who is the only Rivers delegate present at the mini conference, praised the Rivers Mainstream Coalition for initiating the event.
“If we segment ourselves, as we do at the moment, we get smaller. But if we do what you are doing today, we will advance and make much impact” he said.
Horsefall disclosed that his nomination to the conference was predicated on his security expertise, adding that although he was called upon essentially for security input, he would not be indifferent to lending his voice to issues of interest to Rivers State.
On the issue of fiscal federalism, the security expert said he had reservation about federating the country on basis of the six geo-political regions as, according to him, “it may work for the South East and South West because of common language and cultures, but may not be feasible in South South and the north because of diversity of language and cultures.”
Similarly, Faye Dikio (SAN) differed slightly on the issue of resource control and called for the abrogation of the Land Use Act which vested all lands on the government.  This, according to him, would ensure a realistic control of resources by the federating units.  He also advocated the repeal of the Oil Minerals Act.
Groups who participated at the event were Etche Ethnic Nationality ‘Voice of Rivers Citizens’, ‘I See You’ and Ogba ethnic nationality.
The communiqué read in part, “That the interest of ethnic nationalities having lived together in peace, should continue to be bound together in peace in a society in which political representations are broadly and equitably distributed.  That we wish to control our resources in the state and have fiscal federation.
“That we want to own our lands and want the Land Use Act repealed. That we want the federation restructured to give more powers to the federating states.  That states should have the powers to create the number of local government areas they can manage.  That there is need to diversify the economy from oil and create wealth from other sectors. That we want a unicameral legislature and not a bicameral.
“That traditional rulers should have constitutional responsibilities.  Obnoxious laws such as the Petroleum Act, Land Use Act, Pipeline Act, Mineral Resources Act etc, that inhibit the rights of our people be expunged and the Petroleum Industry Bill should be passed.”

Rivers State Governor, Rt Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi (2nd left) obeying National Anthem. With him are former Prime Minister of Ireland, His Excellency John Bruton (2nd right), former British Foreign Secretary, His Excellency Jack Straw (right) and Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Engr. Tele Ikuru (left) during an International Conference on Democracy and Good Governance, organised by Rivers State government at Banquet Hall, Government House, Port Harcourt. Photo: Egberi A. Sampson