Ijaw Union Laments Marginalisation, Environmental Degradation

The Ijaw Progressive Union of Aborigines (IPUA) has expressed deep concerns over the alleged ongoing marginalisation of the Ijaw people and the severe lack of infrastructure in their region.

In a statement signed by the executive coordinator of IPUA, Mr Amaye Major, the group disclosed it had petitioned several government agencies, highlighting the urgent need for the Nigerian government to address deteriorating roads, insecurity and inadequate social amenities in the region.

The union urged President Bola Tinubu to prioritise these issues, emphasising that inclusive development is crucial for the Ijaw communities, particularly in light of their historical neglect despite being a significant ethnic group in Nigeria‘s oil-rich Niger Delta.

Amakor stated in the statement, „We have written to NDDC urging improved accountability and support for local development, adding that the agency must stick to the mandate of NDDC as specified by former President Olusegun Obasanjo and re-emphasized recently by President Tinubu.

„We have also demanded an improved healthcare system, the re-establishment of the riverine police, and the construction of a modern hospital to meet community health needs. We have called on Shell, requesting assistance with infrastructure development, amongst other things.

„The Nigerian government must, as a matter of urgency, prioritise inclusive development and address the historical neglect of the Ijaw communities. The government can promote peace, stability, and prosperity in the region. It would be recalled that due to an infrastructure deficit, good-spirited Ijaw indigents in the diaspora under the auspices of Ijaw Women of   America (IWOA) and Ijaw National  Alliance of  America (INAA), a non-governmental and non-profit making organisation, have taken it upon themselves to carry out routine medical outreach to Ijaw communities every year.“

„IPUA stands with Chief Edwin Clark, emphasising that oil-rich Ijaw areas deserve meaningful representation and development rather than neglect“.

The IPUA‘s call to action highlights the need for urgent attention to the plight of the Ijaw people.