The Anglican Bishop of the Oleh Diocese, Delta State, Rt. Rev. John Aruakpor, has suggested that Niger Deltans should be given oil blocks instead of the Niger Delta Development Commission(NDDC).
Aruakpor who made the suggestion In an interview with a national daily, argued that some people are using the NDDC to make money for themselves but giving oil blocks to Niger Deltans will help douse the anger and sense of exploitation in the people who feel that they should control the oil resources, and develop their environment which has been devastated by oil exploration and exploitation.
”One of the things that will help the various ethnic nationalities that are hosting oil is that they should be given oil block. Every ethnic nationality hosting oil, give them oil block, not this NDDC; some people are using it to make money for themselves. Let us develop ourselves, so that if we are going to fight, we fight ourselves. Give us oil block, so when you are managing your own, let us also manage our own to develop ourselves”.
The bishop who also spoke on petrol subsidy removal, insecurity among other issues, regretted that oil theft has continued to be the order of the day in the country, despite the military’s claims that the issue was being addressed.
”If you had followed the campaign that was done, the solution is there because they know what is happening. The people in authority know those who are involved. If they want to stop it, they can stop it. It is not stealing of crayfish; before you can steal oil, you come with vessels and before it can enter your territory, people must know, those in authority must know. They know it, they know what to do. If they want prosperity for Nigeria, they know exactly what to do”.
On the worsening insecurity in the country, the cleric blamed its continuity on the lack of will of those in authority to face it.
”The insecurity in our country is not insurmountable. l think the lack of will of those in authority to face it, that is where we have a challenge. If you watched the campaigns of the main presidential candidates for the last election, you find that all of them proffered solutions.
”Particularly, l can refer you to Peter Obi, he said insecurity can be tackled. We have technology, so there can be no hiding place for these people (criminals), but they (leaders) decided that they are not interested. So, if they are not backing it (technology), insecurity will continue to be with us. The President of this country should come out strongly to tackle this problem and it will be a thing of the past. With the resources that we have and the use of modern technology, we will go very far.
”We should also know that there are some people backing them (criminals) even in the military, those in authority should ensure that such people are not sent to key positions because we have heard many of those soldiers even confessing that they send them to confront terrorists without giving weapons and they are killed, so they are even afraid to go. Let them have the will to save this country from destruction. It is a matter of those in authority not doing the right thing”.
On the removal of petrol subsidy, Aruakpor condemned President Bola Tinubu for removing it without a plan.
”We do not condemn subsidy removal. The only thing we condemn is that he (President Tinubu) did it without a plan.
”Before you came in, you planned to be President, you should have had your plans in place, not just announcing that subsidy has been removed. Now, you are finding solution after removing it. People are passing through stress without solution. We all want subsidy to be removed but before pronouncing it, he should have had a template on ground on what to do.
”To me, the way he did it now is like he borrowed an idea from somebody who is not prepared for it and he is just implementing, so he doesn’t know what to do. Now, a lot of money is being saved from subsidy removal. What will the money be used for? Let him justify the removal by using the money to do things that will remove stress from this country.
