UK-based group backs call for end to marginalisation of Urhobo
A group, Urhobo Kpobaro, made up of Nigerian professionals in the Diaspora, has backed the agitation by Campaign for the Economic Survival of the Urhobo Nation (CATESUN) seeking inclusion and a better deal for the Urhobo in the oil and gas sector, describing it as the way forward towards eradicating the marginalization suffered by the ethnic nationality over the years.
The group, which is based in the United Kingdom (UK) and Ireland, in a statement by Chief Otite Otite (President), Chief Ovie Ukueku (General Secretary) and Mr Sunny Idigbe (Legal Adviser) stated that the mantra taken by CATESUN, led by Olorogun Ese Kakor, and “his counterparts in Ijaw and Itsekiri, is something we should have taken on as a nation long before now.”
According to the group, “As the fifth largest ethnic group in Nigeria, as acclaimed by some scholars with 10 local government areas and 24 Kingdoms across Delta State with most of them as oil-producing communities with a capacity of 64 million barrels of oil annually this is according to the first oil summit, it is a shame that the Urhobo nation has nothing to show in terms of socio-cultural and infrastructural advancement.
READ ALSO: Marginal oil fields: Urhobo group urges Osinbajo, Sylva to address points of agitation
It is also a slap on us as a nation when our indigenes were not included in the bidding process for the just conducted sale of 57 marginal fields situated in the region by the Federal Government, International Oil Companies and Niger Delta Development Commission.
“Oil revenues from the region has been craftily hidden from the people, so much so, that the last ever revenue on record we have of the region is well over 26 years ago with Kokori alone generating as much as N68B in one year.
One begins to ask, what is the true revenue generated, not from Kokori, but the entire oil-producing communities, which include Sapele, Idjerhe, Okpe, Isoko, among others?
“We welcome the action of CATESUN, just as we welcome the call for calm as done recently by the Deputy Governor. However, the time for talks are over, we want to see an action plan. Most importantly, we want to see a pathway towards resolving this anomaly that has been meted on the Urhobo people over the years.
“Urhobo Kpobaro UK and Ireland salute Olorogun Ese Kakor and his group, the courage of the Okpohrokpo Ofuafo ‘R Agbon Kingdom on this issue and most importantly, we also salute the Federal Government for taking the initiative to wade in via the state government primarily to look into this inevitable agitation. We are watching!”
The post UK-based group backs call for end to marginalisation of Urhobo appeared first on Vanguard News.
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