Nation
Insecurity: Nigerians In Diaspora Berate Wase’s Dismissal Of Petition
Nigerians in Diaspora have lampooned the Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon Ahmed Idris Wase, for summarily dismissing Hon Mark Gbillah, representing Gwer East Federal Constituency of Benue State, who attempted to present a petition to the House on behalf of the Mutual Union of Tiv in America (MUTA) but was blocked by Wase.
The March 10 incident on the floor of the green chamber drew the ire of Nigerians, who described the development as dictatorship and an attempt to silence some Nigerians who were grieving over the forceful takeover of their ancestral lands by marauding herders.
The MUTA, in a statement signed by its President, Simon Kusugh, and Prof Joseph Zume, yesterday, reminded the Deputy Speaker that 2019, Nigerians residing abroad contributed approximately $23.5billion to the Nigerian economy in the form of direct business investments and remittances back to their families to help pay for hospital bills, education, and basic amenities like water, energy, food, and security.
“In a functioning society, the Nigerian government ought to have been providing these services, obviating the need for Nigerians abroad to sacrifice their hard earned and sometimes meagre salaries.
“To buttress the significance of the contributions that Nigerians abroad make to the Nigerian economy, it is worth further pointing out that, in 2018, Diaspora remittances translated to 83% of the federal budget, and was 11 times the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows. In essence, Nigerians abroad are greatly subsidizing the federal budget yearly. These are the groups of Nigerians that Mr. Deputy Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives argues do not have a right to make a petition to the House”, MUTA stated.
The association wondered why a country like China is engaging its Diaspora citizens, yet Nigeria’s leadership is actively discouraging and denying Nigerians abroad a voice in the affairs of their own country.
“Perhaps, Hon. Ahmed Idris Wase’s position was only targeted against Nigeria’s Tiv Diaspora. He must clarify his position for posterity.
“We are in deep shock and disbelief that such a high-ranking officer of the House-the number six citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, would so glibly deny bona fide Nigerian citizens the right to present a grievance before the House. Under whatever guise, whether borne out of mischief or ignorance, or both, Hon. Wase’s action bodes no good for our motherland. We must make it clear that MUTA members are Nigerians, and have the right like other Nigerians, to make a case to the National Assembly on matters of concern to them.
“Yes, we are stakeholders, contrary to Hon. Wase’s uninformed position that we are not because we sojourn in a foreign land, or that we are not registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC). Even at that, let it be known that MUTA is an affiliate of the parent organization, the Mzough U Tiv (MUT) in Nigeria, which is duly registered with the CAC. This fact was stated in the opening paragraph of the petition, if only the Deputy Speaker had given it a chance to be heard”, the statement added.
MUTA added that the action of the Deputy Speaker’s action remains highly reprehensible given that the subject of its petition addressed the fate of hundreds of thousands of authentic Nigerian citizens who have been displaced from their communities for years.
“As national representatives of Nigerians, the Honourable Members should ordinarily be expected to empathize with those hapless citizens they represent, whose normal livelihoods have been truncated by unfortunate circumstances. Obviously, that was not indicated on this day as no member present attempted to persuade the Deputy Speaker to allow Hon. Gbillah’s presentation.
“Unfortunately, the naked display of bias and pathetic ignorance by the Deputy Speaker in denying us a hearing, is emblematic of the general rot in our country where persons placed in high positions so often act in betrayal of such positions. What else can we surmise, if a high-ranking legislative leader does not know that they owe a responsibility to protect the constitutionally entrenched rights of all Nigerian citizens, irrespective of where they may reside? But how could Hon. Ahmed Idris Wase, be that much ignorant of the place of Nigerians in the Diaspora when the Federal Government of Nigeria, in recognition of the strategic importance of the Nigerian Diaspora, signed the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) Establishment Bill into law in July, 2017? Not just that, but in 2019, the Federal Government went further to set July 25 of every year as National Diaspora Day.
“To the best of our knowledge, Nigeria still recognizes dual citizenship. It should, therefore, be unquestionable to any serious person that Nigerians in the Diaspora, as citizens, have a right to register their grievances with any arm of the Nigerian government”, the statement noted.
The Movement for the Survival of the Izon Ethnic Nationality in the Niger Delta (MOSIEND) has called on the Management of Niger Delta Development Commission NDDC to embark on the water projects in Buguma city in Asari Toru Local Government Area, Rivers state
The Group called on the Rivers state government to revamp the Buguma fish farm to create employment for the teeming youths
On the water project in Buguma, MOSIEND said the population of Buguma has increased tremendously as the residents need more water projects to enhance the daily livelihood of the people
The Group also appealed to the Chairman of the council to assist in making the project a reality and attracts more developmental projects to the city
This call was on Rhythm 93.7 FM Port Harcourt, Radio program, Talk of the Town, by MOSIEND Eastern Zonal Coordinator of MOSIEND Half Hour Comrade Tammy Bruce Longjohn alongside Mark Ojuka,Chairman of Buguma and Hon Sandra Owunari JP Chairman Obuama and monitored by our correspondent
Comrade Ojuka also called on the Management of Liquidifed Natural Gas NLG to embark on a free medical outreach in all Kala bari communities to improve their health status
He appealed to LNG to award scholarship to indigens of Kalabari communities in tertiary institutions to better their education, noting the company is doing same in Bonny, abandoning Kalabari communities
“We need contracts, free medical, scholarships and employment including skill acquisition programs for our teeming youths in Kalabari extractions ”
On Security, Mark Ojuka said security in Buguma is at zero level with the help of the Ama Ma soldiers the city is more peaceful and investors friendly as the youths of area have cordial relationship with the security agencies in the area
“Security is very secured in Buguma clan”
He called on the Rivers state to revamp the Buguma fish farm to create employment for the teeming youths
“The youths are asking for human capacity building in the area to reduce unemployment”
“The revamping of the Buguma fish farm will also reduce youth violence”
Also Speaking, Eastern Zonal Coordinator of MOSIEND Half Hour Comrade Tammy Bruce Longjohn called for more improve in infrastructures in Kalabari community, especially in electricity
There is little improvement in terms of electricity in Buguma city
He decried the deplorable condition
of Buguma Health Centre, saying that the hospital is near functional
“Our sisters that are pregnant and our sick parents can not access the health centre for a better treatment ”
Describing the Health Centre as an eye saw, he called on Rivers state government and Buguma Local Government chairman Hon William to improve on facilities in the centre and make it more medically accessible to the sick persons in the area
Buguma, Tammy Bruce said is the spiritual headquarter of Kalabari people as such deserve more modern facilities from the government to improve lives
The Coordinator called on government, stakeholders and oil companies to assist and improve the poor infrastructural facilities in area
“We need first class hospitals, qualified medical doctors and nurses in the health centres and hospitals”
On the oil spilled in Obuoma Chairman MOSIEND Obuoma, Hon Sandra Owunari said the spill destroyed their crops and Rivers even polluted their only source of drinking water
She expressed displeasure that Rivers state government did not send any relief materials to the people in the affected community
On Chieftaincy title to women in Obuama, Hon Sandra Owunari said the community do not install Chieftaincy title to women, saying that Chieftaincy title is only reserved for men only in the community
CHINEDU WOSU
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