The Movement for the Survival of the Izon Ethnic Nationality in the Niger Delta (MOSIEND) has called on the federal government to release its equity contribution to the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), to enable accelerated development in the Niger Delta region.
MOSIEND President-General, Kennedy West, made the call in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, while speaking during a procession to mark the 56th Isaac Boro Day.
West said: “While the NDDC will be 25 years next year, which will be silver jubilee and for 24 years, the federal government has not contributed its own equity contribution to the system. That is an example of marginalisation; corporate marginalisation.
“So, even if we commend Mr. President for giving us the right choice of people in this present NDDC board, we also urge the federal government to put money into the system. Put money into the system, let them start working.”
He decried the alleged marginalisation of most ethnic nationalities in the country and called for equality to give all ethnic nationalities an opportunity to thrive.
The MOSIEND leader also called on President Bola Tinubu to initiate a process for the review of the country’s 1999 Constitution.
West stated that an agreeable and acceptable new constitution will address the interests of every part of the country that is agitated.
He said: “Let Mr. President invoke a referendum, collapse the constitution and let the people of Nigeria sit down again and write a constitution that is agreeable, acceptable and addresses the interest of every other region that is agitated.
“That is when we can talk about a true Nigeria. That is when we can talk about a Nigeria where everybody thinks about everybody. Right now, everybody is thinking about how to better their region. That is the way it is.”
