President
Goodluck Jonathan yesterday called off the commissioning of the $16bn Delta Gas
City project in Delta State scheduled for today following a threat by the Ijaw
of Gbaramatu kingdom to unleash violence if he went ahead.
Reports
says that the President, indeed, suspended the groundbreaking, the second time
in six months, having deferred it earlier in June, ignited fresh controversy in
the state, with many wondering what was really going on.
This came as Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, warned
against bloodshed between the Ijaw and Itsekiri in Delta State over the Federal
Government-owned Export Processing Zone, EPZ, project, now renamed Delta Gas
City.
The
Ijaw, claiming that the Export Processing Zone, EPZ, project was named after an
Itsekiri community, Ogidigben, whereas it was not exclusively located on an
Itsekiri land, had severally sworn to disrupt the groundbreaking process,
except the name was appropriately changed and acquisition formalities perfected
with Ijaw co-owners of the land where the project is located.
President
Jonathan, who announced his fresh intention to officially flag off the project
at his declaration ceremony, Monday, in Abuja, surprisingly, reversed himself
on Wednesday, despite re-assurance by the state government.
It
was gathered that the Ijaw of Gbaramatu Kingdom renewed their objection to the
groundbreaking between the time Jonathan announced his intention on Monday and
Wednesday afternoon, prompting the president to shelve the plan.
Meanwhile,
an Itsekiri leader and Ajuwaoyiboyami of Warri Kingdom, Delta State,
Chief Ayiri Emami, has slammed President Jonathan for suspending the project.
Chief Ayiri Emami, who was clearly disillusioned at the President’s action,
said: “It is disheartening that President Jonathan is pandering to the selfish
and clannish interest of some group of Ijaw persons in Gbaramtu Kingdom against
the wider interest of the nation.”
However,
an Ijaw youth activist in the forefront of the crusade for Jonathan not to
perform the groundbreaking now, Mr. Paul Bebenimibo, disagreed with Emami,
saying the President needs to be commended for listening to the voice of the
oppressed people of Gbaramatu Kingdom.
Emami
told Vanguard that “this project has been on for almost a year without
distraction. The Ijaw were carried along by Julius Berger of Nigeria, JBN, but
because of the selfish interest of one person, Jonathan succumbed to threats to
abort the groundbreaking again. The question I am asking is: ‘Are we safe under
Jonathan if a project of such magnitude and importance to the nation will be
toyed with because of the interests of few persons.’”
He
accused ex-militant leader, Chief Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, of
using his influence to blackmail and intimidate people, warning that the
continuous plan by Tompolo and his Ijaw brothers to deprive Itsekiri nation of
what rightfully belongs to it was getting out of control.
Bebenimibo said:
“I commend President Jonathan for listening to the voice of the oppressed
people. Having postponed the groundbreaking again, my advice is that government
should do the needful. It is not enough to say that the name has now been
changed to Delta Gas City. The name of the project should be complete with the
location of the project boldly proclaimed, and which we maintain should be
Delta Gas City, Gbaramatu/Ogidigben.
“Besides,
government should formally acquire the land from Gbaramatu people just as it
did with the Itsekiri people. Mr. President should not come for the
groundbreaking at all until all these issues are resolved. The project is also
in our land and they should not act as if we are strangers. Jonathan should set
up a high-powered committee to resolve the issues.”
After
all, the Ijaw and Itsekiri have a common destiny, they are the ones laying the
golden eggs and have been deprived of the benefits. I appeal to my Itsekiri
brothers to understand our struggle. We should not kill ourselves before we
forge a united front to fight our joint enemy.”
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