Pollution and fishing in the Niger Delta

Written by the Editorial Bard of The Guardian Newspaper

The consistent lamentations by various civil society groups over the plight of fishermen and peasant farmers in the oil-rich Niger Delta who have deserted their long-established fishing and farming occupations due to pollution of their environment appropriately capture the pains of the devastation of the ecosystem of the oil bearing communities.

Non-governmental organisations (NGO) have over the years appealed to pipeline vandals, militants, illegal oil bunkerers and indigenous and multinational oil companies to halt the destruction of the environment in the region through their activities, a position shared by all Nigerians and even the international community.

Vandalism of oil facilities by oil bunkerers and destruction of oil installations by aggrieved militants, no doubt, are impacting negatively on the environment and living standards.

Has anything really changed in Nigeria under President Buhari?

Shaibu Stephen Ojate 

By Shaibu Stephen Ojate

The Nigerian political atmosphere has been clouded with all manner of praises and commendations on President Buhari’s fight against corruption and also his resolves to bring corrupt public officials to book.

Many have adjudged President Buhari’s administration as one good thing that has happened in the history of Nigeria. These pundits posited that even if this is the only thing President Buhari could do in his four years term in office, they would be very grateful and applaud him. They have consistently maintained that President Buhari is the only President in the history of Nigeria who has taken anti-corruption fight to a higher level.

Also, the opposition on their part maintained that President Buhari’s fight against corruption is selective adding that he was just after his perceived enemies rather than make it encompassing.

Niger Delta is not breaking away from Nigeria

Annkio Briggs a Niger Delta rights activist has said the region is not agitating to break away from Nigeria but is only interested in being allowed to control its resources.

 Some Igbo people have been agitating for an independent Biafra state and different protests have been going on in some parts of the country especially in the eastern part. The agitation heightened after the arrest of Nnamdi Kanu who is the director of Radio Biafra.

 Daily Trust reports that Briggs said the federal government should not see the agitation of the people of Niger Delta as a move to break away from Nigeria as agitated by Biafrans but rather as a quest for self-determination and the opportunity to control the wealth from the region.

We found N183.7bn unaccounted for at NDDC – Auditor-General

The Auditor-General of the Federation, Mr. Samuel Ukura, yesterday, sought for the recovery of about N183 billion being funds meant for the development of Niger Delta but which was allegedly diverted for other purposes. 

Ukura stated this when he submitted three special audit reports to the National Assembly, through the Clerk, Alhaji Salisu Maikasuwa. 

He explained that the amount was discovered in the periodic checks carried out by his office on the activities and programmes of the Niger Delta Development Commission between 2008 and 2012. He said N70.4 billion was paid as mobilisation to various contractors who never reported to site, while N90.4 billion was the extra-budgetary expenditure for Head and Sub-heads without approval by the legal authorities. 

He also said N10 billion was tax deduction without evidence of remittance to the Federal Inland Revenue Service; N5.8 billion was payment to contractors for projects not executed stalled or abandoned, while N1.2 billion was taxes not deducted from contractors. 

MEND threatens to resume militant activities in protest of NASS members huge salaries/allowances

The Movement of the Emancipation of Niger Delta, MEND, has threatened to resume militant activities if members of the National Assembly receive any outrageous allowances. Spokesman of the group Jomo Gbomo said this while speaking to newsmen yesterday June 21st.

“These wicked individuals appropriate to themselves huge and absurd salaries and allowances at the expense of the millions of hapless Nigerians, who have not been paid for months, their salaries, pensions and other benefits they deserve. 

Buhari Must Pay Us For Pipeline Surveillance – Asari-Dokubo

Former Niger Delta militant leader, Asari-Dokubo, has called on the government of President Muhammadu Buhari to pay contractors of the oil pipeline surveillance project across the country.

Asari-Dokubo, who is one of the former Niger Delta agitators awarded pipeline surveillance contract by the Goodluck Jonathan Government, told PUNCH that the three-month deal elapsed on June 15.

He said that the ex-minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Allison-Madueke, did not sign for the payment of the pipeline surveillance contract before she left office.