The Ijaw Progressive Union of Aborigines (IPUA) has expressed deep concerns on what it describes as an ongoing marginalization of the Ijaw people and the severe lack of infrastructure in the Niger Delta.
The group disclosed in a statement signed by the Executive Coordinator of IPUA, Mr. Amaye Amakor, that it had petitioned several government agencies highlighting the urgent need for the federal government to address deteriorating roads, insecurity and inadequate social amenities in the area.
IPUA further urged President Ahmed Tinubu to prioritize these issues, stressing that inclusive development is crucial for the Ijaw communities, particularly in their historical neglect despite being a significant ethnic group in Nigeria’s oil-rich Niger Delta.
The statement reads in part: “We have written to the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, for improved accountability and support for local development; and that as a matter of urgency stick to its mandate, as specified by former President Obasanjo and re-emphasized recently by President Tinubu. Federal Ministry of Transportation advocating for the development of the Warri seaport and those in Burutu areas of Delta State.
“We have also demanded an improved healthcare system, reestablishment of the riverine police, and call for the construction of a modern hospital to meet with our communities’ health needs”, it adds.
They further added, “We have also called on Shell Petroleum Development Company, requesting assistance with infrastructure development amongst others. IPUA stands with Chief Edwin Clark’s consistent call that oil-rich Ijaw areas deserve meaningful representation and development rather than neglect.
The IPUA’s call to action highlights the need for urgent attention to the plight of the Ijaw people.
They insist that the Nigerian government must as a matter of urgency, prioritize inclusive development and address the historical neglect of the Ijaw communities. By doing so, the government can promote peace, stability, and prosperity in the region.
IPUA also recalls that due to an infrastructure deficit, good spirited Ijaw indigents in Diaspora under the umbrella of Ijaw women of America (IWOA) and Ijaw National Alliance of America (INAA) took it upon themselves to carry out routine medical outreach to Ijaw communities on a yearly basis.
