Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), has claimed that the Ijaw and their communities in Delta State are neglected and unfairly treated by Governor Sheriff Oborevwori since his assumption of office.
The IYC in a statement on Tuesday, by its spokesman Amb. Binebai Yerin Princewill, during the council’s meeting, demanded justice, equity and fairness in the distribution of infrastructure and political appointments, among others, in the state, adding that as the economic and political base of the state, the Ijaws deserved fair treatment in terms of development.
Princewill said the Ijaws could not solely be valued during elections and then neglected along with their communities afterward, warning that the inimical and tyrannical political thinking must stop, as the Ijaws could no longer put up with that kind of predatory political manipulation.
He said Delta is a multi-ethnic state, and any action by the governor, as the father of the state, must consider the ethnic indices, adding that failure to do so won’t be acceptable to the affected ethnic groups, as they are equally stakeholders in the state, especially the Ijaw.
He further noted that despite lauding Governor Oborevwori for approving N78billion for road construction and three flyovers in Warri and its environs, they were disappointed that Ijaw riverine communities and kingdoms had not received substantial projects despite being the producers of the oil sustaining Delta State’s economy.
Princewill said: “The Ijaw observe with concern the appointment of two commissioners in Warri North, both from the Itsekiri ethnic nationality, despite Warri North being dominated by the Ijaw of Egbema Kingdom and Itsekiri. This lopsided appointment, despite the governor winning in all Ijaw local governments, is seen as an insult to the Ijaw people’s sensibilities.
“Equality in commissioner appointments is demanded; therefore, Burutu, Patani, Bomadi, and Warri South West local governments should each have two commissioners, mirroring the allocation in Warri North. No ethnic group should be treated as inferior in Delta State. Burutu, especially, already has one Federal Constituency and two House of Assembly seats. This should be looked into as soon as possible.
“Again, we bring to the attention of the governor that if we have Warri Uvwie and Environs Special Area Development Agency and Delta State Capital Territory Development Agency, the Ijaw call for the establishment of the Coastal Area Development Agency (CADA) as an executive Bill to benefit from resources generated from their areas. We refuse to continue to be marginalised.
“Before our very eyes, three universities were established in Delta State. No one was sited in Ijaw areas, while polytechnics were upgraded to universities under former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa. Efforts to establish universities in Delta State without any in Ijaw areas have been noted. Temporary placement of faculties from these new universities in oil rich Ogulagha Kingdom is demanded as a form of temporary pacification until the future establishment of a university in Ogulagha Kingdom.
“The Delta State School of Marine Technology in Burutu requires urgent attention and declaration of a state of emergency for infrastructural development because of the deficit of neglect over the years to date.
“We are also informing the governor that we are aware that he is making plans to buy vehicles to ease transportation in urban areas. While the IYC is lauding the idea, we are also informing our governor that he should make arrangements to acquire ferry boats to ease transportation for our people living in the riverine communities, who majorly bear the brunt of this fuel hike. We will not accept anything other than this” he added.
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