CRD urges traditional rulers to adopt modern trends in community governance

Ini Billie, Uyo

Traditional Rulers of Rural Communities of the Niger Delta (TROMPCON) have been urged to adopt modern trends in community governance.

The advocacy was made during a capacity building for Traditional Rulers of Oil Producing Communities of the Niger Delta (TROMPCON), facilitated by the Community and Rural Development (CRD) directorate of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) on the theme: “Emerging Trends in Rural Governace”.

Speaking at the weekend in Uyo during the training, Consultant, Wealthline Nigeria Limited, Pastor Benson Eghaire said adopting emerging trends would help tackle the problem of insecurity in the region.

Lamenting that insecurity and lack of internal peace in Niger Delta communities were hindrances to development, Eghaire encouraged traditional rulers to embrace peace and inclusivity in governace, saying they are two modern trends that would drive development in the oil communities.

“We want to change the ways we reason, the ways we think about development.You (traditional rulers) are supposed to be pathfinders for community progress.

“Conflicts or crisis in the society has different faces, changing everyday. So it is also important that we also strategise, develop our capacity on how to handle crisis in our communities.

“Traditional rulers are key to community development. The desired level of development of our communities is still far from expected. If traditional leaders act as catalysts, you can bring more enduring peace, security, power, and development initiatives.

“As long as we live, the issue of peace, security and meaningful development will continue to be on the front burner. Peace initiatives should start from you. So be visionary, think how peace, development can come,” he stated.

The consultant encouraged traditional rulers in the region to intervene in the deplorable conditions of roads in the area, especially the Calabar-Itu Highway.

He urged them to reach out to the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and the government for intervention, saying the dilapidated roads was killing the tourism potential in Akwa Ibom and Cross River State.

“If you are a citizen of this region and you also understand the deplorable state of this region, you also hear people tell you that the oil will soon finish, let’s replace oil with knowledge.

“Holland does not have oil, but knowledge to build houses on water, they have it. Bad leadership is still the problem of the region,” he said.

While speaking, Akwa Ibom TROMPCON Chairman and Paramount Ruler of Eket Local Government Area, HRM, Etim Charles Abia, regretted that no meaningful progress has been achieved on major road projects in the region even after awarding contracts to about three prominent contractors over the years.

“If you go there today there’s nothing happening on that road. That road project has been abandoned. Now the Federal Government has come up with a new project, the Coastal Road from Lagos to Calabar.

“Now if the NDDC  means anything to us, a road like that is one of those things that the NDDC should take an interest in.

“They should see how they can resolve the problem. That will make a lot of difference in the lives of the people of the two states, and even beyond,” he stated.

The Royal father urged NDDC to complement state governments efforts in agriculture by procuring modern farming equipments to aid farmers and even traditional rulers cultivate lands in the region.

“Cross River state for instance has  lot of fertile lands. If you just  go on that Calabar- Itu Road, the land there is perfect for growing rice. If  Cross River were to use the land to cultivate rice, Nigeria won’t be able to consume all the rice.

“Now the NDDC can help by procuring modern farm equipment that can be used to clear the land, equipment that can be used to make ridges. NDDC can do that and donate it to communities as a first step,” he noted.