ljaw Progressive Union of Aborigines has called on the federal government to urgently reactivate the ports in the Niger Delta area, including Warri, Sapele, Burutu and Calabar Ports.
Their submissions are contained in a letter signed by Ikhide Ehighelua of the Ikhide Ehighelua & Co Chambers, which was addressed to the minister of Niger Delta Affairs and copied to highly placed representatives of the people in the National Assembly including Senator Ede Dafinone, Senator Joel Onowhakpor, Senator Ned Nwoko, Hon Benedict Etanabene, Hon Francis Waive and Hon Nicholas Mutu among others.
Part of the statement reads, “We are solicitors acting on behalf of The Registered Trustees of ljaw Progressive Union of Aborigines hereafter referred to as our client and we write on their instructions as follows:
“Our clients are major stakeholders in the Niger Delta Affairs especially as it relates to the environs in Delta State.
“It has been observed by our clients that over the years, successive governments have neglected and undermined the development of Warri and environs, which same neglect appears to be replicated across the Niger Delta region.
“The contribution of this region to the economic well-being of this Nation cannot be overemphasised, yet it appears that their reward has been neglected.
“In time past, Sapele, Wari, Burutu and even Calabar used to be bustling port cities with thriving focal economies associated with movement of goods in and out of those ports.
“As we write, there is hardly any motorable road in and out of Warri, Sapele, and Burutu towns in all directions which further worsens the state of the economic activities in these towns.
“Beyond these towns, there are smaller communities both on land and offshore locations which have become extremely worse off because of the neglect of the region.
“The object of our client in their correspondence is to draw your attention to the sorry state of affairs in the area and to further demand immediate action aimed at alleviating the sufferings of the people in the region and reviving the region by the prompt refurbishment and reactivation of the various ports in the Niger Delta Region, to wit; the Sapele, Wari, Burutu, and Calabar ports.”
