Group urges N’Delta governors, NASS to reject proposed water resources bill

Isaac Job

A socio-cultural group in Akwa Ibom under the aegis of Mboho Mkparawa Ibibio has urged governors of the Niger Delta, the National Assembly and other coastal areas across Nigeria to ignore the planned water resources bill now before the federal legislature.

In a communique signed by the International President of the group Akparawa James Edet at the end of the Central Working Committee meeting held on Sunday and made available to newsmen in Uyo, the Socio-Cultural Organisation described the proposed Water Resources Bill as evil, repressive and misplacement of priorities.

The group insisted that the Bill is aimed at depriving the people of the Niger Delta region and other coastal states of their God-given resources and impoverishing them.

The Akwa Ibom socio-cultural group; founded in 1987 in the state, therefore, warned leaders from the areas to shun the planned bill now before the National Assembly for consideration despite their political affiliations.

“The communique reads in parts: The meeting deliberated on several issues affecting the organization and also reviewed the state of the nation. Arising from the deliberations the CWC resolved as follows:

“That it urges all governors and national assembly members from the Niger Delta region and other coastal states in Nigeria to rise against the proposed Water Resources Bill being put forward for consideration at the National Assembly, irrespective of political party affiliations;

“That the bill is evil, repressive, a complete misplacement of priorities and an attempt to deprive the people of the Niger Delta region and other coastal States resources freely given to them by God and by such action, further impoverish them.”

The group alleged that the water resources bill was also meant to confer ownership, control and management of surface as well as underground waters on the federal government just as it empowers the same government to monopolize petroleum resources.

He said such moves through the bill were an affront to the sensibilities of the people and must be rejected vehemently with all peaceful and constitutional means to ensure that it does not see the light of the day.

President of the socio-cultural group warned members of the National Assembly and the federal government to resist every temptation by promoters of the obnoxious bill to exacerbate already smouldering schism which has generated mistrust fuelled by negative policies and one-sided appointment to key positions in favour of a particular section of the country.

The group threatened to mobilize the people of the Niger Delta region and partner with other coastal states and wage strong resistance against the Water Resources Bill.

”That working with other ethnic nationality groups in the Niger Delta region and sister coastal states, Mboho Mkparawa Ibibio will mobilise strong resistance to the Water Resources Bill and hopes that other patriotic Nigerians who desire the unity and cohesion of the country will lend their voices as well, as injury to one is an injury to all,” he said.