Dr. Moses Taiga
News
The President-General of the
Urhobo Progress Union (UPU) Worldwide, Olorogun Dr. Moses Taiga has called on
the Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government to consider restoring the
underutilized Sapele Port with the Nigerian Navy to decongest and reduce the
burden on Apapa wharf in Lagos.
Taiga made this call over
the weekend while briefing pressmen on issues concerning the Urhobo Nation. He noted that though the Sapele port, which is
currently under use by the Nigerian Navy has nine bases out of which the navy
is only using one. “Our Sapele Port that was given to the Navy, which is
currently underutilized, should be restored back as a full operating Port. It
doesn’t matter if the Navy want to keep the base they are using. So too, is the
Warri Port. Government should develop the Okwagbe/Ganagana Port in Ughelli
South Local Government,” he said.
In addition, the
President-General called on the Federal Government to fulfil its promise to
return Uvwie and Okpe lands, which were freely given to the military, but are
now being used for private purposes. “We seek the return of Uvwie and Okpe
lands, acquired for military purposes, in the past, but not so utilised, and
are being sold by the military to private individuals. We, as a Nation, had
presented this matter to the President, HE Muhammadu Buhari, in June 2018, and
he made a commitment to return these lands. But nothing has been done till now.”
While thanking the Federal
Government for honouring some prominent Urhobo Sons by naming some Railway
Stations along the Itakpe/Ajaokuta/Aladja/Warri Corridor after some prominent
Urhobo sons, Taiga noted that the Urhobo nation is in dire need of infrastructure.
“The Federal and the Delta State Governments should provide adequate
infrastructure to the Urhobo Nation. We need Federal Roads, particularly the
East West Road, which has remained uncompleted for over 20 years. The
Ughelli/Asaba Road, Benin-Sapele-Warri Road, among others need completion. The
road is in a state of deterioration, which has led to needless loss of lives,
properties and productive man-hours. A one-hour journey now takes between three
to six hours. For the Urhobo people, and other Nigerians plying the road,
especially from the Ugbenu, Oghara, Adeje, Elume to PTI Junction, Effurun axis
of the Benin-Ughelli Expressway, it has been a harrowing experience.
“The Ughelli/Asaba Road
needs to be completed. We generate Gas from Utorogu Plant, perhaps, the largest
Gas Plant in Nigeria, yet electricity in the area is comatose! This needs to be
redressed,” he added.
On security, he called on
government to find a lasting solution to the incessant issue of insecurity and
advised that the government should consider legalizing community policing as
part of the solution to the security challenges. He noted that security is
important for attracting investments that will provide job opportunities for
the teeming youths. Without security, there will be no investment or investors,
with consequential zero job opportunities for our teaming youths. Our concern
for the security situation for the state and country cannot therefore be over
emphasized.”
He also called on government to find a
solution “to the Herdsmen menace in our communities so that our women can to go
to their farms without fear of rape, attacks or being killed. We are also
against the selling of our lands to these people for grazing purposes.”
Touching on education and
health, the UPU PG thanked the Ifeanyi Okowa-led Delta State government for the
approval of the Urhobo Language Curriculum for Primary and Junior Secondary
Schools, but added that teaching of Urhobo language should be extended to areas
of Patani and Warri South LGAs, which have sizeable population of Urhobos.
On health, he noted: “These
are new Normal times. With the COVID-19 Pandemic, our lives have changed. UPU
therefore has added Responsibilities to our people. We intend to play a bigger
role in community sensitization, ensuring that we prevent rather than treat
Corona Virus. We also need to care more for the elderly, poor and infirmed
persons.
Speaking on the relationship
between the Urhobos and other ethnic groups, he explained that cooperation with
neighbours is a sine qua non for the Urhobos: “It is our cardinal policy to
co-exist with our neighbours, Ijaw,
Itsekiri and Isoko; the Ukwani, Oshimili and Anioma and Bini; the lgbo, the Igala,
the Yoruba and other ethnicities. We will continue to cultivate their
friendship and good neighbourliness.
“The UPU shall continue to
work with the Federal and Delta State Governments to ensure that Urhobos
receive the economic impact of government policies. Whilst we as a
socio-cultural Institution will remain non-partisan, we will seek to cooperate
and work with each government and the institutions of state and federal
governments of the day, to ensure that the Urhobo Nation gets its fair share of
the resources and opportunities,” he concluded.
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