From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
A Niger Delta group, the Movement for the Sustainable Development of the Niger Delta (MSDND), has thrown its weight behind the positions put forward by the former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, and some eminent ex-Niger Delta militant leaders led by High Chief Bibopere Ajube aka Shoot-At-Sight over the percentages of crude oil stolen from the Niger Delta region and the need for Federal Government to arrest the current economic hardship in the country.
Obasanjo had attributed the poor state of Nigeria’s economy to the nation’s intentional poor record keeping of the production capacity of crude oil and the high volume being stolen thereby depriving the nation from attaining its OPEC quota.
MSDND, through its Publicity Secretary, Kelvin Orughoe, pointed out Obasanjo position was a clear statement made based on intelligence and in-depth knowledge of the failed battles against crude oil theft in the country.
According to the group, it is time for President Bola Tinubu to take the bull by the horns and stop those stealing Nigeria’s crude oil.
“The people stealing our crude oil are not along the creeks and waterways of the Niger Delta region. The crude oil theft is being coordinated and carried out by cartels collaborating with both state and non-state actors. If President Tinubu is serious about combating crude oil theft and not just tough talk made for media propaganda, then he should immediately request to meet with these ex-militant leaders because they have the master-plan in their possession on how to resolve the menace of crude oil theft across the Niger Delta region within thirty (30) days at zero cost to the Federal Government. The Federal Government and state governments will receive billions in revenues as a direct result of these ex-militant proposed solutions.’’
On the recent stakeholders meeting by the Niger Delta former militant leaders held at the residence of Ajube, MSDND agreed that politicians are responsible for the rising cases of economic sabotage throwing several Nigerians into suffering.
“We agree with the position of the ex-warlords that it is time for the various states of the federation to begin to control and manage their natural resources and contribute to the federal account.
“It’s clear that there is no way we can survive without an increase in our production so that our exports will outshoot our imports. We want the Federal Government to share everything with the states so that they will bear the responsibilities of whatever happens in their states,” the group noted.