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Onshore/Offshore controversy: A call for
caution
By Erhie Okeh
“I do not want peace, what I need is equal right and justice” -
Peter Tosh
We Niger Delta student community read with
consternation the current onshore/offshore oil dichotomy suit instituted
against the Federal Government and the Governors of the Niger Delta by the
Nineteen Northern Governors and three others (22). It was the chairman of Tce Tsung, who once posited that
“politics is war by other means”.
It is based on the above stand point that the
leadership of the Federated Union of Niger Delta Student (FUNDS) write to set
the records straight, as it affects the Niger Delta region and the co-operate
existence of the Nigerian Nation.
It was the Erudite writer Frank Garbirth who once
noted “The Man who question Opinion is wise, The Man who quarrels with
facts is a fool”.
It is so surprising to note, that the political cabal
under the Nineteen northern states and three of their collaborators from the
south west namely Oyo, Osun and Ekiti states have waited till after about six
month of Mr. President assertion into the Abrogation of the onshore/offshore
oil dichotomy bill before instituting a legal action against the federal
government and the governors of the Niger Delta State asking the Supreme Court
to void the act claiming that the act grossly violate the 1999 constitution and
other ancillary laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
When the bill was initiated by Mr. President as a
means of political solution to re-address the inequalities in the Niger-Delta
as it relate to the application of the principle of derivation of the formula
of allocation of revenue in the country i.e. 13% derivation formula.
The bill was well applauded by the Nigerian Masses
including the Northerners and it passed through the due process of debate in
the National Assembly (both the upper and lower houses) until it was assented
into law by Mr. President. It is indeed a Solomonic wisdom to re-address the
onshore/offshore oil dichotomy controversy which was about tearing the
co-operate existence of the Nigeria state. It was the respected Chief Bola Ige,
who noted that “All Nigerians are thieves stealing the property of the
Niger Delta. Nigerians have stolen
the treasure of the Niger Delta people and if care is not taken, we will face
the wrath of God, because it is a sin to continue to plunder the resources of
the Niger-Delta people”.
This fact further corroborated by the respected Alhaji Shehu Usman Aliyu
Shagari thus “those who produce resource should be considered if there is
any adverse effects in their communities and since their terrain is very
difficult for development” (as in case of the Niger Delta).
The Niger Delta region is said to be the economic
nerve of the Nigerian State. The
region produce 98% of her foreign exchange through the exploration of oil and
gas which places her on the world record among countries of oil producing
communities.
But, the sad metaphor is that, inspite of her oil
wealth, the people of the region remain largely impoverished, neglected and
unfulfilled. The area itself is xterise in myriad of problems which ranges from
conflict of interest, economic deprivation, social hardship, unemployment,
educational backwardness.
In addition to the above is the unmitigated abuse of
the eco-system due to activities of oil and gas companies and the insensitivity
of previous government towards the plight of people of the region.
It was the respected Victor Hugo who noted
“there is only one thing stronger than all the armies in the world and
that is an idea whose time has come”.
The idea of Mr. President to readdress these
inequalities in Niger Delta through the abrogation of the onshore/offshore oil
dichotomy and therefore should be applauded rather than criticized the policy.
The leadership of FUNDS stand opposed to any person
or group of persons from either the North, South West or any part of Nigeria
who are opposed to the idea of Mr. President.
It should be resounded that it was the revenue
accruing from oil/gas that was practically used in building a new capital
territory (Abuja), erecting relevant structure in the North, South West and
also for all other organs of government to enable them effectively perform
their statutory duties and functions.
Ironically the Niger Delta region which produce the
bulk of the Nations Wealth (oil and gas) have been neglected in terms of
development. This has been largely
responsible for the reoccurring crisis in the region which has been a threat to
national security and foreign investors.
It was the vibrant reporter Mr. Abraham Ogobdo, on a
tour with the Igbinedion Education Center observed, as published in the
Guardian of 14/7/2002 on page 50 thus:
“As a Niger Deltalite, the beauty of Abuja also
drips with the ugliness of injustice in any eyes. The place represents the wealth of the Niger Delta and at
the same time explain the squalor, deprivation and anger in the Niger Delta, it
was therefore, legitimate on my part to behold the beauty of the city with cold
indignation, the entire splendor paled into tastelessness at the realization
that, the gain of Abuja is indeed the pain of the Niger Delta”.
Also to capture the sad State of the Niger Delta,
Henry Woler of GTZ, the producer of the Niger Delta master plan for NDDC,
posited thus, “The poverty level in Niger Delta is the worst any where on
the continent of Africa. Seventy percent of the region is on the poverty line
and the poverty level in the area is above the African Standard. Over two
million youths are unemployed and they seem to have lost hope, faith and
dignity in life, while forty percent of the youth are illiterate”.
To further elucidate on the condition of the Niger
Delta, it was the respected university Don Prof. Olu Osibanjo who in the
Vanguard of 8/7/2002 on page 11 noted thus “People in the Niger Delta are
restive because of the perennial gas flaring in their area which has exposed
the excessive light…. The environment is so hostile that at the slightest
provocation, the people become restless and ready to fight”.
The above logical assertion is a case described by
the irrepressible publisher of the Voyage magazine thus, “Monkey dey
work, bamboo they chop”. This situation calls for a rethink by the
Nigerian State.
1. That in the interest of the co-operate
co-existence of Nigeria, the Nineteen Northern state Governors and their
cohorts from Osun, Oyo and Ekiti States should as a matter of urgency withdraw
all pending legal suits relating to the onshore/offshore oil dichotomy against
the federal government and the Niger Delta governors from the court.
2. That any orchestrated plan by the Northern
oligarchy to relocate the PTI to the North shall be resisted by the people of
the Niger Delta.
3. That while, we remain committed to the cooperate
existence of the Nigerian state, we shall not fail in our capacity to mobilize
the entire Niger Delta indigenes across the country against any further act or
gang-up against the people of the Niger Delta region.
4. We wish to warn that the issues raised herein
should not be treated with kidglooves as any body that does so, will be doing
so at his or her own peril.
Finally, we also wish to salute the courage of the
Niger Delta governors her entire citizens and all apostles of resource control,
and the onshore/offshore oil dichotomy, and the struggle to emancipate the
people of the region. We also wish to pledge our solidarity to President of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo for his timely assenting
to the bill on the Abrogation of the onshore/offshore dichotomy. And as a matter of urgency should pay
all outstanding arrears of the derivation monies to Niger Delta States.
It is on concluding note, we painfully reiterate and
speak in anger rather than sorrow, that even if the oppressed remain silent and
cause no tension in the land, it do not mean that there is peace. The legend
and martyr Martin Luther King (Jnr) had admonished long ago that “peace
is not the absence of tension, but the presence of justice”.
• Okeh is National Secretary-General of
Federated Union of Niger Delta Students (FUNDS)
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