THE leader of the Ijaw, Chief Edwin Clark has reacted to the new master plan agenda unfolded for the development of the Niger Delta, saying the project will fail because of lack of commitment on the part of the governors in the region.
The Federal Government had on Tuesday announced that about N2.3 trillion about ($50 billion) would be needed to prosecute the Niger Delta master plan over 15 years.
He opined that it was ridiculous that for more than a year now, the Presidential Council on Social and Economic Development of the Coastal States in the Niger Delta which was established with fanfare �resulting in our people trooping down to Abuja to witness what the Federal Government had in stock for them, had not been able to carry out one concrete development project in the area of education, health, water or electricity.
�It is true that I have not attended any of the council meetings, but as the leader of our people, I received reports of the deliberations, apart from viewing the council�s deliberations on television. While Mr. President has every good intention in setting up the council, some of the state governments have been giving false reports and they use the council for their own propaganda to cover their dishonest and corrupt practices. Unless decisive, practical and courageous decision is taken by the Federal Government to correct this abominable situation, the agitation of the people for a better deal will definitely continue.�
Chief Edwin Clark said the governments of Delta and Rivers States were the most culpable in the under development of their states, adding that the derivation fundof about N300 billion which they got each had not translated to any tangible development of the oil producing areas in these states.
He, however warned on the rumour that the military may launch an attack on the various locations of the Ijaw youths in the Niger Delta, saying should this happened, then the peace effort in the region would become a ruse.