The Ogbakor Ikwerre Cultural Organization Worldwide has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure that there would be security for Nigerians by using resources at the disposal of his government.
Speaking at the 226th convention on Sunday at Rumuosi the President-General of the organization, Prof. Emenike N. Wami, had urged the federal government to ensure that there would be security.
Prof. Wami said: “Security of lives and properties is one of the fundamental human rights enshrined in our constitution which is supposed to be enforced by our government. Widespread killings and kidnappings of innocent children/pupils and students and adults across the country raise numerous questions for the government. We urge the federal government to judiciously use the resources at her disposal to give us the needed peace and security in Nigeria”.
He said the way the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) was rushed through in the National Assembly and quickly assented by the president left a “sour taste” in mouths of people of the Niger Delta saying it showed insensitivity to the plight of the people.
The President-General said: “The bogus definition of oil and gas producing community and the paltry allocation of only 3% to it in the PIA is the greatest display of insensitivity to the plight of Niger Delta people. The Nigerian nation is only interested in the looting of our resources than for our healthcare and well-being.
“However it is our position that necessary steps be taken with dispatch to actualize what the law holds for our people. We advise the federal government that the law should expressly enthrone an effective and efficient machinery for the management and judicious disbursement of the funds due the communities so that it would not be a time bomb which may result in wanton inter and intra community killings and destructions”.
He said his leadership was in track of crucial issues previously mentioned in his maiden address in 2019 including security, membership drive, youth empowerment, creation of platform for greater national visibility, funding, political and economic relevance including also peace.
He said there was peace in all parts of Ikwerreland unlike four years ago saying cultism, killings, kidnapping, armed robbery and allied vices were subdued by combined efforts of community leadership and government security apparatus.
The organization commended governor of Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike, for signing into law anti-open grazing bill and taking on the federal government over Value Added Tax.
Earlier, the monarch of Rumuosi, Eze John C. Owohortee (JP) in a welcome address read on his behalf said he hoped the organization would ensure the infrastructural development and human capital enhancement in Ikwerreland.
Describing the community as peaceful he said it was endowed with natural and human resources and said people of the area could be engaged for employment and area considered for infrastructural development.
On his part, the executive Chairman of Obio/Akpor local council, Hon George Ariolu, commended the President-General of the organization for initiatives aimed at ensuring that Ikwerre ethnic nationality had a voice and said that media should be aggressively used.
He urged the organization to support the administration of the governor describing him as an international figure.
He said his administration would serve the people in the local government and ensure human capital development.
In the well attended meeting were political chieftains, academics and educational experts and traditional rulers and youths and women who had contributed to deliberations at the meeting.
