Former Secretary of the National Union of Petroleum, Energy and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) Chief Frank Ovie Kokori has tasked the six South-South governors on youth empowerment, 25 per cent derivation and quality education if they were to improve on the fortunes of the region.
Kokori, who urged due process and observance of rule of law in the on-going prosecution of former Delta State governor, Chief James Onanefe Ibori also tasked the governors on employment generation, prudent management of the region's resources especially federal allocation, power generation and intra-state road networks among others.
In an 18-pargraph welcome letter to the governors, Kokori said that the region was in pains and the youths were aggrieved because "of the total neglect of their basic needs in the last eight years reign of your predecessors."
"As new captains, you must be prepared to navigate the stormy waters of the South-South. The task of berthing our people on the Promised Land should now be your goal. A task that must be accomplished," he stated.
In an interview with The Guardian, the activist said that it was sad that the immediate past South-South governors could not pay West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) examination fees for the students of the region in spite of receiving billions of naira as revenue allocation from the federation account.
Kokori said that the situation was more disturbing considering that some states that received less than 10 percent of what the core Niger-Delta states got, paid WAEC examination fees for their students.
"Beginning from 2008 all WAEC examination fees should be waived for all eligible students in our secondary schools across the zone. This will be a timely soothing balm for our poverty-stricken populace," he urged.
Linking all the social problems of the zone to joblessness, he called the governors to declare a state of emergency on unemployment and set in motion a well-planned short-term poverty alleviation programme.
Asked if the youth's resort to militancy was part of the solutions to the Niger-Delta crisis, Kokori said no. If anything, he contended that militancy, killing of people, kidnap and demand for ransom before kidnapped persons could be released were hurting the Niger-Delta struggle.
"There is doubt that the youths became frustrated because of several years of neglect. The struggle initially was to bring world attention to the Niger-Delta problem and they succeeded. The militancy aspect was not part of the struggle. Kidnapping of people is a mercenary thing. I am against killing of people. By kidnapping little children and women, etc and asking for ransom for their release, the youths are trivializing the Niger-Delta struggle," he said.
On derivation, Kokori urged the governors to pursue an upward review of the 13 per cent derivation to 25 per cent articulately and not in the manner that the resource control crusade was waged.
"There is no gain saying the fact that for any meaningful development programme to hold in any clime, there must be adequate funding. So, now is the time to collectively demand the upward review of the 13 per cent derivation fund to the 25 per cent benchmark, which the South-South delegates to the last constitutional conference so articulately demanded. This is achievable and it must be pursued with all seriousness. Not in the manner of the cosmetic resource control mantra."
Kokori wants the governors to pull resources together and fix the West-East Highway connecting most of the six states of the region in spite of its status as a federal road. "The Benin-Calabar dualised highway should be a priority project. This road is the pride of the region and should be completed now."
He also urged each of the governors to start an independent power generating plant because "energy is the life blood of nay developmental scheme."
And specifically, Kokori urged them to resist the temptation of pilfering state funds for self-aggrandisement. "State treasuries should be held sacred," he said.
On the trial of Ibori, Kokori said that it was sad that some Delta State youths went to Kaduna to protest. "It was government-sponsored. Delta Lines buses conveyed the youths to Kaduna."
Instead of protest, he urged that due process should be fought for.
He also urged the government to go after all former governors who are facing allegations of corruption.
His words: "Majority of the 36 former governors are corrupt. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said that it was taking the crusade in turns. With time I hope that the hand of the law will catch up with all the corrupt governors. Ibori and (Ayo) Fayose are facing the law today because this government believes in the rule of law. Let the law be exhausted and let the law take its course. We went into the democratic struggle because we don't want dictatorship. I was locked up for four years by the Gen. Sani Abacha regime without trial. The beauty of democracy is that it allows a man to prove himself. So, let the law take its course and let the governors prove their innocence."
He criticised last weekend's controversial local council polls in seven states of the country. However, Kokori, who was the financial secretary of the defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP), said that the large number of political parties was also part of the problem.
"Nigeria is not ripe for a multiplicity of 50 parties. I took part in the SDP and (National Republican Convention) NRC era. Two- party system was the best thing that happened to the politics of this country even though Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, who started it ended up rubbishing it," he said.
By Clifford Ndujihe
The Guardian
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
