3 November 2009
opinion
Johnson Chukwu — One of the greatest threats to the consolidation of the federal government's Amnesty deal as proposed by President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua is the skewed implementation of the programme by those charged with that responsibility. Some Nigerians were recently alarmed when a group of youths from Imo State staged a peaceful protest to draw attention to the exclusion of former militants from the state in the post Amnesty programme.
Just as people were coming to terms with that disgusting news from Imo State which is about the fourth largest oil producing state in Nigeria, the State House of Assembly confirmed that indeed Imo has not featured in the plan of the implementers of the programme. The pragmatic and proactive House, led by the charismatic speaker Rt Hon Goodluck Nanah Opiah promptly passed a motion urging the federal government to include the state in its post amnesty re-integration and rehabilitation programme. The House equally mandated Opiah to lead a delegation to the National Assembly, Ministry of Niger Delta and the relevant agencies to ensure that Imo State is fully involved in the post amnesty programme.
While commending Imo House of Assembly and its leadership for being responsible and responsive in tackling the challenges facing the state, especially for not keeping quiet in the face of this glaring injustice, the impression should not be unwittingly created in government circles that only the voice of violence is heard and respected. It would be unfortunate if Imo was deliberately excluded from the post amnesty deal because of the peaceful disposition of its government and her people.
For inexplicable reasons, Imo has always been short changed when it comes to the issue of benefiting from its status as an oil producing state. Apart from the criminal ceding of its oil wells by dubious officials to neighbouring states, Imo has had to go cap in hand to benefit from what is constitutionally her right. During the days of OMPADEC, Imo got little or nothing from its activities to the extent that the glaring marginalization became worrisome even to outsiders. Yet the youths did not resort to violence.
However the anger of the people reached a boiling point when at the beginning of the current democratic exercise, an attempt was again made to exclude Imo from the then proposed Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). It took a physical combat by representatives of Imo people on the floor of the National Assembly for Imo State to be made a member of that nine-member body. Whether the impact of NDDC has been felt in Imo State is another matter altogether. What is of utmost importance is that today, through the sweat of those patriotic lawmakers, Imo is in NDDC and has a representative in the Board.
Unfortunately, that victory was short-lived as Imo had to wage another war to be included as one of the coastal states. When the government of former President Olusegun Obasanjo mooted that idea and conveniently excluded Imo from being a beneficiary, not a few saw the action as the extension of the war of attrition being waged against an innocent state. It took the grace of God and the courage of the current governor, Chief Ikedi Ohakim for that wicked policy to be reversed.
Now this. Before dwelling on the nitty-gritty of the Amnesty programme and why Imo should be involved in its implementation, it is germane to dissect what the Niger Delta is all about in other to unravel the mindset of those who are adamant that Imo should not benefit from any programme meant for that region. The Niger Delta covers areas that the tributaries empty into the Atlantic. The environment is characterized by marshy wasteland which makes certain occupation like farming very difficult. Its most important feature is that it is rich in oil. And in the process of prospecting for that oil, the environment is negatively impacted. In order words, oil exploration and exploitation are injurious to the environment hence the need for government and oil prospecting companies to evolve policies and programmes that ameliorate the effects of those activities.
If we then concede that all parts of the Niger Delta where exploration and exploitation take place suffer the same fate, why isolate a part to benefit from the ameliorative package and leave others to suffer the consequences? Why treat Imo State like a rock which is in a river and therefore cannot feel the harshness of the sun? Are Imo State and her people immuned from the environmental degradation that is the lot of all oil bearing communities in the country?
These are indeed questions that should agitate the minds of those who through their privileged positions have refused to yield to Imo State and her citizens what is rightly theirs. Or it is because Imo youths had always heeded the advice of their elders for a peaceful presentation, prosecution and resolution of issues relating to their status as an oil producing state that has emboldened the policy makers to treat them like slaves?
In the just struggle to draw the attention of the federal government to the neglect of the Niger Delta region, Imo was not left out. While others employed extreme violence including sabotaging oil installations and kidnappings, Imo youths were moderate in their agitation. Although they realized that their counterparts from other states did not have the monopoly of violence, they felt that constructive engagement and intellectual confrontation were better weapons in the resolution of the Niger Delta crisis. That explains why those who were in the creeks immediately heeded the federal government's. Amnesty programme and surrendered their weapons. It was not a sign of weakness, rather it showed a demonstration of matured minds who were already aware of the futility of violence by waging war on the government. Must they now pay a price for quickly embracing the Amnesty programme?
It was amazing that in the national frenzy to receive, camp and document the repentant militants, nobody thought of those of them from Imo State.? That they don't count? Whatever must have informed that oversight now is the time to effect an immediate correction of that parlous anomaly. It is gratifying that Imo State deputy governor, Dr Ada Okwuonu has also personally protested this oversight to the authorities concerned.
For the Imo State House of Assembly, it has through its action confirmed its pre eminent position in Nigeria as a body made up of men and women who take their jobs seriously. This is not the first time it is leading a crusade to liberate Imo people from injustices. The Speaker and the committee mandated to implement the worthy motion sponsored by Hon Ray Emeana, representing Owerri North State constituency should not rest until repentant militants from Imo State are fully integrated into the laudable Amnesty programme of President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua.
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2009 Daily Champion. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
