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From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa The Speaker, Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Mr. Benson Konbowei, has declared that the underdevelopment of the Ijaw nation was a deliberate policy by the Nigerian government. According to him, the policy, which started from the colonial period has continued with successive governments in Nigeria. Konbowei was speaking at the end of the fifth session of the House of Assembly, when he explained that the Ijaws were not counted in excellence in any field perhaps because the ethnic nationality was so denied with education, road network, electricity, pipe borne water, among others, since the beginning of Nigeria. ”The disadvantages we have right from the colonial days to Independence, where at Independence, we had not many people in the Federal Civil Service, not to talk of the petroleum industry as it was in the foundation stage. To this extent, therefore, I also join other scholars to say that we (Ijaw) are behind the schedule of things. We are not counted in excellence in any field, perhaps because we were so denied with education, road network, electricity, pipe borne water since the beginning of Nigeria. ”If these had existed, we would not be talking of building of primary, secondary and tertiary institutions. But we cannot cry over spilled milk but make do with what we have now.” I want to call on Bayelsa politicians to further desist from the ‘pull-him-down-syndrome’ that had taken the resources of the state to other parts of the country. The little we get, we clamour for resource control, but even the indivisible part given to us is further making ways back to the same oppressors adding to their heavy pockets” Meanwhile the former minority leader, Hon Ebiye Taribina of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) representing Kolokuma/Opokuma 1 and Hon Munalayefa Gibson of Labour Party (LP) representing Ogbia 2 are at logger heads with their parties over their defection to the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP). Taribina and Gibson had dumped their parties, APGA and LP respectively at the floor of the House during the last plenary session citing internal crisis at the state and the national level. The leadership of LP in the state in a statement signed by the state publicity secretary, ThankGod Ebilamowei said the party was going to declare Gibson’s seat vacant because there was no crisis at the state or the national level. Also the leadership of APGA have contacted Taribina to express their displeasure over his defection and to serve him notice of the planned to declare his seat vacant. Sources close to the two lawmakers said they are unperturbed about anger of their parties as they have made their decision to defect to the PDP to make their constituents feel the impact of the Governor Henry Seriake Dickson-led PDP administration. |