The two oil-producing communities in Abia State are alleging marginalisation by the state and Federal Governments. They would like their indigenes appointed into key positions and their frastructural deficit addressed, Correspondent SUNNY NWANKWO reports.
Despite their contribution to the national purse, the people of Ukwa clan in Abia State say they are not being fairly treated when it comes to siting of development projects, and distribution elective and appointive positions.
Ukwa is made up of two local government areas: Ukwa East and Ukwa West. They are said to have migrated from the Niger Delta. Apart from the abundance of food, the Ukwa people who also share boundaries with some parts of Rivers and Akwa Ibom States respectively are immensely blessed with natural resources. Like their neighbouring Niger Delta communities, the Ukwa clan has huge deposits of crude oil with various multi-national oil companies having their presence in the area.
A recent visit to the two local governments shows a high level of abandonment and decay of infrastructure, despite their economic importance to the state and the nation at large. The areas do not have roads or good source of drinkable water supply. This is even as the people have continued to live in darkness, despite the 132 kilovolt amperes (KVA) electricity sub-station in their area.
But, in spite of the foregoing, Ukwa youths have not resorted to militancy, like their counterparts in the Niger Delta, by kidnapping oil expatriates or bombing oil facilities in their communities. They have remained peaceful and protective of the facilities of these oil companies, with the conviction that resorting to militancy was not the best option to push for agitation against the marginalization of their people.
It is on record that from the inception of the late President Umaru Yar’Adua’s administration till the present administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, there has not been any report of activities of militants in Abia State, especially in the Ukwa axis.
The highest elective position occupied by an Ukwa indigene was when Senator Adolphus Wabara was elected as Senate President in 2003. But, he did not last in that position; he was removed on trumped up charges. It took him 14 years to clear his name, following the ruling of a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, in Maitama, last month which discharged and acquitted him and two others of allegations of bribery levelled against them.
After Senator Wabara’s experience, several attempts have been made by Ukwa clan to produce another senator to represent Abia South senatorial district without success. Some sons of Ukwa who are members of the three dominant parties in the state that tried to contest for the governorship and senatorial positions failed to realize such dreams and ambition, leaving Governor Okezie Ikpeazu and Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe who are from the same Obingwa Local Government Area to continue to occupy the two lofty positions.
Following his recent victory, Abaribe would be returning to the Red Chamber for his fourth term when the ninth National Assembly is inaugurated next month. This is however contrary to the principle of fair play, equity and justice, as power ought to be evenly distributed among the Ukwa Ngwa brothers.
The Ohuhu clan, in Abia Central senatorial district, appears to have been favoured in appointments by the Buhari administration. For instance, one of their sons, Mr. Okechukwu Elenamah, is the Minister of Trade and Investment. Another Ohuhu indigene, Dr. (Mrs.) Uzoma Elizabeth Emenike, was also appointed as the ambassador to Ireland.
Yet, the clan that lays the golden egg has been relegated to the background in infrastructural development and appointments, even when it has sons and daughters that eminently qualified. Some indigenes of the area have started canvassing for a redress of the situation, by siting of development projects there and by appointment of indigenes into the next Federal Executive Council.
Such indigenes recently staged a peaceful demonstration along the Aba/Port Harcourt Expressway, under the aegis of Concerned Women of Ukwa land. The spokeman of the group, Mrs. Odochi Onuegbu, said it is unfortunate and very regrettable that they were suffering untold hardship, because their farmlands that hitherto gave good yield have become unproductive due to the harmful effects of oil exploration and ongoing gas flaring in the area.
She said the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), which was established by the Federal Government to intervene in both infrastructural and human capital development of the area, has not done much to ameliorate the sufferings of their people. She said if the Federal Government appoints an indigene of the area as minister such person would be in a position to influence the appointment of a credible Ukwa indigene into the board of the NDDC.
Onuegbu alleged that non-indigenes of the area have influenced the appointment of people from outside Ukwa land into the commission, ignoring qualified indigenes of the oil-producing community.
The Secretary General of Asa Development Union (ADU), the umbrella body of all groups and associations in Ukwa West Local Government, Dr. Ikechi Ajuzieogu, said it was embarrassing that an area that has continued to produce oil for more than 60 years does not have much to show for it.
He said the NDDC has not been fair to his people, as it is not committed to serious infrastructural development of Ukwa land. He added: “Even in the area of scholarship awards, you may not believe that in the last post-graduate scholarship awards by the NDDC, no single Ukwa West child benefited from the award. Even the petition that our union sent to the House of Representatives on the matter has not been properly attended to, almost two years after lodging our complaint.”
Ajuzieogu said it is a sad commentary that Ukwa people has been denied a voice in the political front, as they have not had the opportunity to represent the area in the National Assembly in the last 12 years. He said by 2023 the people of Ukwa would have been left in lurch for 16 straight years.
The ADU scribe said the concern of right-thinking sons and daughters of Ukwa is whether their people can ever represent Abia South again in the Senate, because the Ngwa people who are the majority in the senatorial district have vowed not to vote for any Ukwa son or daughter who aspires for the seat.
He agrees with the women and other groups that a ministerial position for an indigene of Ukwa would assist to ameliorate the plight of his people and help keep restive youths at bay.
Another group, under the aegis of the Ukwa Consultative Assembly (UCA) has also called for the appointment of an indigene of the oil-rich area as a minister for the sake justice and fairness.
With the emergence of former Governor Orji Kalu as Senator-elect, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha and Benjamin Kalu as members-elect of the House of Representatives, there is no gain saying the fact that the All Progressives Congress (APC) has become very strong in the Abia North senatorial district.
The Abia Central district that currently has a minister and an ambassador cannot be said to be a push over in the scheme of things in Abia politics. As such, the district appears to have more clout within the current APC-led Federal Government.
It seems that the weakest link of the APC in Abia is the Abia South district, which is the most populated and the only oil-producing area of the state.
Observers believe that appointing an indigene of the district into the next Federal Executive Council or any other federal appointment could help to strengthen the APC in the area. Regrettably, Ukwa land that has the oil and contributes the most economically to the coffers of the state, but it has been marginalised in terms of federal appointments over the years.