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Tag: Eric Omare

  • 2018 Budget: NASS is Insensitive, Self-serving – IYC

    The Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) has described the alterations made to the 2018 Budget by the National Assembly as self-serving and against national interest.

    In a statement signed by its National President, Eric Omare, the IYC took particular exception to the reduction of initial funds earmarked by the Executive for the takeoff of the Nigerian Maritime University (NMU), Okorenkoko and the all-important East/West Road, which are considered as key to the sustenance of peace in the Niger Delta.

    According to the youths, the action of the National Assembly has depicted its members as insensitive, noting that the lawmakers had consistently showed itself as a gathering of people opposed to the well-being of people of the region.

    It, however, urged President Muhammadu Buhari to waste no time in sending a supplementary budget to the National Assembly, which would make up for the mutilations in the original appropriation bill sent to the lawmakers.

    IYC said: “We consider the action of the National Assembly as insensitive and retrogressive to the development of the country. It is utter selfishness for the National Assembly to reduce the budget proposal for key developmental initiatives and increased the budget for their personal cost when they are supposed to reduce their recurrent expenses. We condemn this action by the National Assembly. The National Assembly demonstrated selfishness and arrogated their personal interest over and above the national interest which they were elected to serve.

    “It would be recalled that the immediate take-off of the Nigerian Maritime University, Delta State, was one of the key agreements reached between the leaders of the Niger Delta region and the federal government towards returning peace back to the region. It was in furtherance of this agreement that N5billion naira was budgeted for the take-off of the university which we the stakeholders in the Niger Delta region consider grossly inadequate because of the difficult terrain where the university is sited. The Nigeria Maritime University, Delta State, needs a lot of money for it to find its footing, especially at this initial stage of its existence in developing key physical infrastructure and engagement of qualified personnel to run the university.”

     

     

  • IYC to A’Ibom governor: Stop attacks on Ijaws

    IYC to A’Ibom governor: Stop attacks on Ijaws

    The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) on Monday urged the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, to urgently stop the incessant killings, unlawful eviction and continuous displacement of Ijaw communities in Eastern Obolo local government area of the state.

    IYC factional President, Mr. Eric Omare, described the alleged attacks on the Ijaw people of Amazaba as “an attack on all Ijaw people of Nigeria from Apoi in Ondo State to Ibeno in Akwa Ibom State.”

    Omare, in a statement made available to The Nation, said the IYC would not sit back and allow Ijaw people and communities go into extinction, adding “Governor Emmanuel must act fast before the situation degenerate into a full blown Ijaw and Ibibio inter-ethnic crisis.”

    He said at least eight Ijaw communities under the Amazaba federated Communities namely –  Ama-Uka, Amangbauji, Ozugbo, Okorobilom, Bethlehen, Ayama, Ama-Nglass and Okoromobolo  – have been displaced by communal and inter-ethnic disputes with the Ikot Akpan Udo people who are of Ibibio origin in Ikot Abasi local government area of Akwa Ibom.

    “The Ikot Akpan Udo people, who are of the majority Ibibio tribe, murdered several Ijaw people including a traditional ruler/village head of Ama-Uka village, Chief (Uboon) Sunday Oron Eli, in 2008,” Omare said.

    While saying that several Ijaw people now live as exiles, the IYC president appealed to the state government to exercise its mandate by protecting all its citizens whether minority or majority from violent attacks.

  • Resource control will solve Niger Delta crisis – IYC

    The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Worldwide, on Tuesday said the Federal Government’s idea of establishing modular refineries in the Niger Delta region would not bring permanent peace to the region.

    The newly-elected President of IYC, Mr. Eric Omare, who spoke in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital, said the only guaranteed solution to agitations in the region remained resource control and management.

    Omare said: ”Let me clarify here that the fact that we adopt the concept of modular refinery is not  an end in itself. In other words, the idea of modular refineries will not address the demands of the Niger Delta people.

    “It is just one of the temporary palliatives and we accept this palliative because it addresses one of the fundamental issues affecting the region today.

    ”If you go to our creeks now, you will observe that our environment has been totally damaged, partly because of the idea of this local refinery that is not controlled.

    “So, we believe that this idea of modular refinery that will incorporate those people that were formerly involved in illegal refineries as it is called, will address the environmental problem.

    ”Also, it will enable most of our people to be gainfully employed, acquire skills and other associated benefits. But the question of resource control and   ownership must be addressed for the Niger Delta to have permanent peace.”

  • Omare emerges President of factionalised IYC

    Omare emerges President of factionalised IYC

    Eric Omare, the immediate past spokesman of the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC), has been elected to lead as President of the apex Ijaw youths body by one of its factions.

    The election, which ushered Omare in, alongside three other executive council members, was held in Burutu town, headquarters of Burutu council area of Delta state between Thursday, March 2 and Friday, March 3, 2017.

    The election was held in defiance to a general resolution reached in Patani, Patani council area of Delta state, by a group of stakeholders of the IYC, including past presidents, elders and leaders from different parts of nation, which called for a new convention to be held on Sunday, March 5 in Okrika, Rivers state.

    According to the stakeholders, the convention scheduled for Okrika this coming weekend, which would have been second of its kind, should produce a credible electoral committee, which should organise the body’s election.

    However, the election held in Burutu, which produced Omare as president, had the blessing of the outgoing president, Udengs Eradiri.

    Omare emerged winner with a total of 67 votes to defeat his only challenger, Justine Okubo who did not record a single vote.

    Other executives elected are Ebalakpo Parkins, secretary general; Magada Franklin, financial secretary and Henry Ayala, Spokesman.

    Omare, a lawyer by professional practice, served as the Publicity Secretary of the outgoing executive council. He is also a Special Assistant to the Delta State Governor on Youths and Community Matters.

    In his acceptance speech, Omare while acknowledging the crack in the IYC, said “the new IYC executive would hit the ground running as we would immediately kickstart the process of healing the wounds that arised as a result of the election.”

    Speaking earlier, the outgoing president, Udengs Eradiri, said: “I pray the new IYC exexutive carry on with the vision and mission of the IYC. Eric Omare is a man that is very grounded in the Ijaw struggle and I believe he won’t fail on this regard.”

  • Ijaw youths commend FG for Ogoni clean-up

    The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) on Saturday applauded the Federal Government for the commencement of the implementation of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report on the clean-up of Ogoniland.

    The IYC made the commendation in a statement issued by its spokesman, Mr. Eric Omare, in Yenagoa.

    The group also urged the federal government to extend the gesture to other Niger Delta communities adversely affected by oil and gas exploration.

    The IYC noted that the formal inauguration was a practical demonstration of political will to implement the UNEP report on Ogoni by the highest political authority.

    “Irrespective of the fact that funds have not been released for the purpose, the effort is nevertheless commendable.

    “The government is advised to immediately take concrete actions by awarding the relevant contracts and release funds for the actual clean-up to start without delay.

    “We express our strong solidarity with the Ogoni nation and salute the courage of fallen and living heroes of the Ogoni struggle such as Ken Saro-Wiwa, the Ogoni 9, Ledum Mittee and others.

    “This effort by government clearly shows that their sacrifices were not in vain and it is also the triumph of non-violence struggle.

    “We recommend the Ogoni example to other Niger Delta people and communities,” the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) quoted IYC as saying in the statement.

    According to the group, the Ogoni clean-up should be used as a starting point to clean-up the entire Niger Delta region.

  • Niger Delta: Civil rights leader confirms attack on Chevron facility

    A Nigerian civil rights leader and a Niger Delta resident confirmed on Thursday that militants had attacked a Chevron oil facility in the region.

    A militant group called Niger Delta Avengers said late on Wednesday that it had blown up the main electricity feed pipeline leading to the Escravos tank farm.

    “The attack truly happened,” Reuters quoted Eric Omare, spokesman for the Ijaw Youth Council, as saying on Twitter.

    Resident Zebo Austin, who lives nearby, also confirmed there had been an explosion.

    “We heard a loud blast at the Abiteye to Escravos crude pipeline which was blown up last night by yet-to-be identified militant group,” he told Reuters.

    There was no immediate confirmation of the attack from Chevron.

    The Avengers, who said they are fighting for a greater share of oil profits, an end to pollution and independence for the southern region, had told oil firms to leave the Delta before the end of the month.

    The Federal Government has responded by moving in army reinforcements, but British Foreign Minister, Philip Hammond, said this month President Muhammadu Buhari needed to deal with the root causes of the conflict.

     

  • Another gas pipeline destroyed in Warri

    Another gas pipeline destroyed in Warri

    The Warri-Escravos gas pipeline was again sabotaged in the early hours of Friday. There was yet to be any official confirmation neither claim of responsibility by anybody as at the time of filing this report.

    The incident, which was suspected to have been carried out by insurgents, most likely the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA), which had claimed responsibility for earlier similar incident in the Warri creeks, happened behind a community called Salvation City, near Ogbe-ljoh, Warri South-West council area.

    It was gathered that those behind yesterday sabotage used dynamites and other dangerous weapons to carry out the attack. It happened at about 2:00am.

    Confirming the incident, the Spokesman of the Ijaw Youths Congress (IYC), Eric Omare, who is from Ogbe-Ijoh, said his community people informed him of the incident.

    “I got a call from the village this morning that there has been an explosion on a pipeline  located behind Salvation City, I think it is the one that links Escravos to Warri and I’m not sure of the operators, but I think it will be either NNPC or NGC”, he said.

    Although, details of the attack was still sketchy at the time of filing this report, an official of the Delta State government described the attack as a major blow to gas production in the country.

    It was gathered further that the attacked trunkline belongs to phase two of the Escravos-Lagos gas pipeline owned and operated by the Nigerian Gas Company Limited (NGC).

    Again, both military authorities and officials of the Nigerian Gas Company (NGC), could not be reached for comments.

     

  • Terrorists now disguising as Fulani herdsmen – Ijaw youths

    Umbrella body of Ijaw youths, the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC), Worldwide, on Wednesday said terrorists not Fulani herdsmen were responsible for the killings of people in remote communities across the country.

    IYC in a statement signed by its Spokesman, Mr. Eric Omare, condemned the “slaughtering” of innocent Nigerians in middle belt, Southwest and recently in Enugu State, Southeast, describing it as barbaric.

    Omare said the traditional Fulani herdsmen have been conducting their business peacefully for decades without resorting to killing of their neighbours.

    He said the sponsored attacks could be a plot by disgruntled persons to pit one ethnic group against the other so as to destabilise the country.

    He said: “We are of the view that the attacks are being carried out by terrorists who are disguising themselves as Fulani herdsmen.

    “The traditional Fulani herdsmen have been grazing their cattle for decades in different parts of the country without such attacks until recently when the attacks became persistent.

    He, however, frowned on what he described as suspicious and criminal silence of the Federal Government on the matter.

    He wondered why the Presidency vowed to deal with vandals of oil facilities in the Niger Delta region as common criminals while keeping mute on attacks threatening the sovereignty of the country.

     

  • Gunmen kidnap Bayelsa monarch in Delta

    The monarch of Oporomor Kingdom in Ekeremor, Bayelsa State, His Royal Majesty, Augustine Ebikeme, has been kidnapped by unknown gunmen.

    The traditional ruler was reportedly abducted by the gunmen at Kokori community, Ethiope East local government area of Delta State.

    He was reportedly whisked away on Sunday to an unknown place while returning to his kingdom from an engagement.

    Youths under the aegis of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) worldwide condemned the incident and demanded for the monarch’s immediate and unconditional release.

    IYC in a statement signed by its Spokesperson, Mr. Eric Omare, said the abduction of Ebikeme popularly known as Pere Ekere was an attack on the entire Ijaw nation.

    “We regard the kidnap of Pere Ekere, who is not just a traditional ruler but a spiritual leader to the Ijaw people as an attack on the entire Ijaw nation,” Omare said.

    He warned: “If Pere Ekere is not released with immediate effect by the kidnappers, Ijaw youths would be forced to storm Kokori Community in Ethiope East local government area of Delta State to effect his release.

    “The kidnap of Pere Ekere is a joke taken too far and the IYC would not tolerate it.

    “In order to take steps towards the release of Pere Ekere, the IYC would hold an emergency national congress at Olabrakopre Community, Ogbe-Ijoh, Warri, Delta State, on November 21.

    “The congress would be attended by Ijaw Youths all over the nation where decisions on practical steps to release the monarch are expected to be taken.”

  • Resource control: Niger Delta youths threaten to cripple economy

    Niger Delta youths on Thursday vowed to return to the trenches and bring Nigerian economy to its knees if the ongoing national conference failed to uphold resource control and true federalism.

    The youths under the aegis of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide, rejected the decision of the National Conference Sub-Committee on Devolution and Resource Control to maintain the current 13 per cent derivation for oil-producing states.

    IYC in a statement signed by its Spokesman, Mr. Eric Omare, described the decision as retrogressive, anti-federalism and totally unacceptable to Niger Delta people.

    Omare said: “The IYC wish to warn that the decision of the Niger Delta people to give peace a chance to allow the federal government address the problems of the Niger Delta should not be taken as weakness.

    “The Niger Delta people are still willing, ready and capable of bringing the Nigeria economy to its knees.”

    He said the refusal of the committee to address the issue of resource control had betrayed the expectations of Niger Delta region and Nigerians.

    He said the committee has made nonsense of the conference as an avenue to “right the wrongs of the past, deepen our federal system of government and put Nigeria on the path for development.”

    Omare further said the decision was simply a triumph of the retrogressive and provocative agenda of reactionary forces in Northern Nigeria.

    “The opposition of reactionary northern delegates to resource control and demand for scrapping of the NDDC, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs and the Amnesty programme are provocative to the Niger Delta people and we may be forced to take drastic actions.

    “These are interventionist agencies created for specific purposes which are not only beneficial to the Niger Delta Region but the entire country as demonstrated in the astronomical increase in the nation’s revenue as a result of the Amnesty programme,” he said.