By Ochuko Akuopha

UGHELLI—PRESIDENT of Ijaw National Congress, INC, Prof. Benjamin Okaba, has lamented that Nigeria was progressively gravitating towards a failed state.

He said: “The Nigerian nation from all critical indications, talking about the policies, economy and security is abysmally bankrupt despite the huge natural and human resources God has given us.” 

Okaba spoke at St Paul’s Anglican Church, Ozoro, Isoko North Local Government Area, Delta State, while delivering a lecture entitled, “A Synergy of the Church, Government and the Private Sectors in the Development and Industrialization of Our Land,” at the 2nd Session of the 8th Synod of the Oleh Diocese of the Anglican Communion.

“For us in Niger-Delta, while we share in mass illiteracy, poverty, underdevelopment, we are particularly pained because as owners of the resources that feed the nation, we have been deprived, marginalised and treated as second class citizens in our country.

“Recently, there was a Petroleum Industry Act , PIA, with the expectation that while the Niger Delta people, who  suffer all the damaging consequences of oil exploration, the Federal Government felt that three percent was good enough for the people of Niger Delta. 

“If you see the damage caused by oil exploration in Niger Delta, you will weep for yourself and weep for this nation.

“As we speak, the Federal Government is on the verge of passing the obnoxious Water Resources Bill, which means that water will be the property of the Federal Government capital enterprise. To the extent that for you to sink a borehole, you must obtain license from the Federal Government.

“And if you place it on water management system, it means all the water, including the creeks of Niger-Delta come under the management of the Federal Government. And we the Ijaws mostly live on top of water. If you take away management and running of waterways from the Ijaw people, you have taken away life from them.

“The Ijaw nation will not be conquered and can never be conquered, They are creating network to take over our land and bring their cattle. I want to tell you that the government is serious and desirous to pass the bill with impunity without considering how we feel.”

Okaba urged the church to coexist in synergy with the government and private sector to advance humanity through technology, agriculture, education, health and manufacturing.

In his charge, Bishop of the Diocese,  Rt Rev John Aruakpor, lamenented the worsening spate of insecurity in the country.