Ijaw youths demand state control of natural resources
Owen Akenzua, Asaba
The Ijaw National Congress (IYC) on Friday called for the amendment of the 1999 Constitution to allow states control and harness natural resources in their areas, noting that with the illegal mining activities in the north, the Niger Delta should also be allowed to carry out the exploration for crude oil.
National President of the IYC, Roland Owelaemi in a statement, a copy of which was made available to our correspondent, said given the mining of solid minerals belonging to the nation in parts of the north, the IYC would not hesitate in its drive for states in the Niger Delta to exercise control over resources in their land.
He stated that “with the rather surprising news of Illegal mining action in the northern part of the country where mining activities are ongoing and powerful individuals are allowed to tap the natural resources in their domain, the IYC is calling on the federal government to commence the amendment of the constitution by allowing states to harness and control their resources in their land.
“This call has become necessary because the Niger Delta people want to control the resources in their land, since solid minerals exploration in the north has now been reduced to individuals ownership in spite of the enabling laws in the country vesting ownership of natural resources on the federal government.”
The group stated that despite the fact that illegal mining activities are causing crisis in the north, the federal government has not deemed it fit to set up a military joint task force to checkmate the illegal activities because the solid minerals in the country are seen as private owned by some persons in the north.
It added that “it’s either the federal government restructures the country by allowing states to harness and control the resources in their domain or we will take every step necessary to exercise control over the resources in our fatherland.”
Meanwhile, as the effects of the lingering power blackout in Orerokpe, headquarters of Okpe Local Government Area of Delta state continues to bite harder, a social- political group, known as Form For Democracy and Development (FODD) has called on Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Sheriff Oborevwori to intervene so as to restore power supply to the community.
