N’Delta Crisis: INC Preaches Dialogue

The Ijaw National Congress (INC) has urged the Federal Government to use dialogue, instead of confrontation, in resolving issues in the Niger Delta.
The President of the congress, Mr Boma Obuoforibo, who said this in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, in an interview with newsmen, Monday, explained that military option would not be in the interest of the people of the region.
“We call on President Muhammadu Buhari to disregard calls for military campaign against the restive youth as peaceful discourse remains the best option in resolving the issues in the Niger Delta,” Obuoforibo pointed out.
The Okrika-born INC president emphasised that the use of dialogue had become necessary since the youth had heeded their leaders’ admonition within and outside the region, and were ready to talk with the Federal Government.
“It is expedient that comments and actions that would aggravate the situation should be avoided.
“We equally implore the Federal Government to urgently demilitarise and withdraw the military from all of our communities,” he added.
According to Obuoforibo, Ijaw people are not enemies to the government of President Muhammadu Buhari.
“We commend the president for the launch of the Ogoni clean-up and steps taken so far for the full implementation of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) recommendations.
“We hope that other areas in the Niger Delta equally impacted by oil pollution will be given similar considerations,” the INC president stated.
The president said one major reason why the crisis in the Niger Delta had lingered without any meaningful solution was insincerity on the part of successive governments and operators of the oil sector.
Obuoforibo regretted that after over five decades of oil exploration and exploitation and despite the huge wealth created by the sector for the nation, the benefits had not impacted positively on the majority of the people in the region.
He lamented that the land, rivers and creeks in the region had been devastated, while communities remained impoverished with some of the worst living conditions.

Josephine Atagana