WARRI — President- General of the Urhobo Socio –Cultural Organisation, the Urhobo Progress Union (UPU), Chief Benjamin Okumagba, yesterday said the practice of terrorising multi– national oil companies and disruption of oil exploration activities by youths of host communities in Delta State are responsible for the slow pace with which the state government is resolving the Warri ethnic crisis, mass unemployment and underdevelopment among oil producing communities.
According to him, though such acts are on the decrease and the peace process on course, the youth organizations of the Urhobo, Ijaw and Itsekiri ethnic groups among others must desist from using the platform of their community to threaten oil companies into recruiting natives who later turn out to be ghost workers.
Speaking yesterday in Warri at the inauguration of the Youth Wing of the UPU known as “Ukoko r’ Okugbe r’Ighele r’ Uhobo”, the President– General of the UPU, Chief Benjamin Okumagba warned that if youths continued in their restiveness and threat to the operations of the oil companies in the state, the issue of mass unemployment, violent crimes and ethnic hostilities may remain unresolved.
According to him, “we condemn the acts in all its ramifications. Let us warn the youths in the oil producing areas of the state against the terrorist practices. These acts of hostilities would only worsen the problem of mass unemployment and make government unable to resolve the issue of ethnic crisis. We want them to know that the attitude of these youths, who use the platform of community-based organizations to pressurise oil firms to recruit natives of their communities is an attempt to increase cases of ghost workers, it is bad.
"We know that the motive behind these agitations sometimes is that being a ghost worker would enable youths draw monthly salaries without working at all, thereby denying hundreds of others who are ready to work and have the opportunity of being gainfully employed. Let them allow these companies to implement their plans and they will see rapid development in the areas” he asserted.
On the proliferation of youth organizations in the Urhobo land and the state government's ban on youth organizations, Chief Okumagba stated that the ban is a welcome one and might not be unconnected with the violence and unruly manners with which such groups operate in some areas.
“We have studied it and we decided to inaugurate the newly constituted group to serve as a link between the elders' council and all youths in Urhobo land. Let me state that the elections into this intermediate council would have been done some years back but while plans were on some Urhobo kings and chiefs were expressing fears of uncertainty.
They expressed fears of possible unruly behaviour of youths who always usurp powers given to them and forcefully dethrone elders. But I explained to them that every society has a role for kings, for elders, women and youths. This council of youths will be part and parcel of the Urhobo Progress Union and would serve as a bridge between the elders and the youths” he stated.
