Group Picture on the Visit of the Executive of Ndokwa Neku Union, (NNU), Led by High Chief Johnson Opone, the Member representing Ndokwa/Ukwuani at the Federal House of Representatives, Hon Ossai N. Ossai to the Special Adviser to the President of the Federal Government Amnesty Programme, General Paul Boroh (RTD)
Abuja: The people of Ndokwa has called on the Vice President of Nigeria, Professor Yemi Osibanjo as part of his Niger Delta visits, to visit Ndokwa nation to have a first-hand information of the deprivation and marginalisation of the area, after more than 50 years of Oil and Gas exploration.
The call was made by when the President General of Ndokwa Neku Union, (NNU), High Chief Johnson Opone and other Executive members and the member representing the Ndokwa/Ukwuani Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives, Hon Ossai Nicolas Ossai, visited the Special Adviser to the President Mohammadu Buhari on the Federal Government Amnesty Programme, General Paul Boroh (RTD), in his office in Abuja, on Monday 13 March 2017.
Chief Opone said that the Vice President’s visits to the Niger Delta region has been impacting positively, as many political and economic decisions had been taking by the federal government, but such visit will not be meaningful if the land and people of Ndokwa is not visited to see the extent of the neglect and degradation of the area over the years.
The President General commended the Buhari government for continuing with the Amnesty Programme, as the decision has brought back peace to the region, as it will empower the restive youths.
The Prsident General, NNU Chief Johnson Opone, Signing the Visitors Book, while Hon Ossai N. Ossai Looks on
Chief Opone assured the federal government of peace in Ndokwa nation, as they will continue to exhibit maturity in their agitation.
“We assure you our people will continue to exhibit maturity in our agitation to readdress the marginalization of our people over the years”. He said.
He reminded the federal government that over the years, Ndokwa people have never disrupted or damaged any government property in the cause of their agitation for over 50 years and the government should reciprocate this.
“We expect the federal government to reciprocate our peaceful nature by integrating Ndokwa nation in all the programs of the Presidential Amnesty Programmes such as Skill Acquisition, Scholarship, Graduate training programs, Mentoring and Post Empowerment programs”.
Also speaking, the member representing the Ndokwa/Ukwuani Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, Hon Ossai Nicolas Ossai decried the neglect of the area, and asked for urgent attention to compensate the people of Ndokwa.
He called on the federal government that as a matter of urgency to implement the stepping down of the power from Okpai Independent Power Project in Ndokwa East, in Ndokwa Land, and for the establishment of the a federal skill acquisition centre in any part of Ndokwa nation.
Hon ossai also appealed to the office of the Federal Government Amnesty Programme to ensure that the NNU is always carried along in decisions about the Niger Delta region, because it is the body and the mouth piece of Ndokwa nation.
Reacting to the requests from the people of Ndokwa, General Boroh welcomed the visit and said it is a means to synergise between his office and the people of Ndokwa.
However, he decried the uncoordinated nature of lists on Amnesty from Ndokwa, and said that the Vice President had asked that the lists should be harmonised for implementation.
“It is worrisome to see different lists from different groups and individuals from Ndokwa, we had been asked to harmonise the lists. And we will do that.”
Others in the visit are the first Vice President, Chief K.C Daphey, the Secretary General, Pastor Jonathan Dike, the Youth Leader, Comrade Lucky Onyia, a representative of the Ndoshimili Development Union, (NDU), and the Publisher of Ndokwa Reporter, Mr Emmanuel Enebeli.
