Stakeholders in the Niger Delta region, including university teachers, have challenged political leaders of the region to look inwards in efforts to tackle underdevelopment in the area.
They gave the challenge at a colloquium on Wednesday in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, organised to mark the post-humous 60th birthday of the late Power Aginighan, former acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), who died at 59 alongside his son in a ghastly motor accident on September 1, 2018 along the Mbiama axis of the East-West Road.
The lecturers, who were discussants at the event, were unanimous in their submissions that much of the socio-economic problems of the region were not caused by external forces.
lead presenter at the colloquium, titled ‘The Niger Delta Development Challenge and Institutional Responsibilities: The Way For ward’ Samuel Ibaba,, noted that the region had complained of much neglect.
Ibaba, a professor and Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences, Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island, urged the leaders and the people to shift their attention from external forces working against the region and look inwards to find solutions.
According to him, the narrative of deprivation had been over emphasised, with the intervention agencies performing below expectations, stressing that the people should work hard to enhance the competitiveness of the region.
Ibaba said, “The old narrative of unfairness by the Nigerian government that exonerates us and shifting blames to other quarters than us has to be reviewed; in all honesty the old narrative has been over emphasized.
“Since the Willink’s commission recommended the establishment of a development commission to focus on Niger Delta, a lot of things has happened, we need to review how we have performed and ask questions.