A pan-Niger Delta region social-cultural group, Mboho Mkparawa Ibibio has kicked vehemently against proposed Water Resources Bill in the National Assembly; describing the proposed legislation as an “evil agenda designed to take from the people of the region their God-given wealth and make them even poorer.
The group consequently called on all Governors and elected representatives of the Niger-Delta region in the National Assembly to resist the bill and ensure it does not see the light of the day.
The position of the Ibibio ethnic nationality organization is contained in a communiqué released at the end of its Central Working Committee meeting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital.
According to the group, the proposed law seeks to transfer the ownership of both surface and underground waters to the Federal Government the same way it cornered oil and gas deposits in the Niger-Delta region.
For the group, the proposed law is a rude assault on the sensibilities of the people of Niger- Delta that must not be allowed to stand.
“A bill which aims to confer ownership, control and management of surface and underground waters on the Federal Government, like what is obtainable in petroleum resources, is an affront to the sensibilities of our people which must be rejected and fought with all peaceful and constitutional means available to ensure it does not see the light of the day”.
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While it called on federal lawmakers especially those from the Niger-Delta region to be vigilant; the group advised the Federal Government not to fall for the offensive bill which they vowed to resist using every constitutional means.
“That members of the National Assembly nay the Federal Government should resist every temptation by the promoters of this evil and obnoxious bill to exacerbate the already smouldering schisms in our country which have brewed mistrust fueled by actions, inactions, policies and
lopsided appointments to key positions in favour of a particular section of the country”.
The group said it will mobilize other ethnic nationalities in the Niger-Delta to forge resistance against the Water Resources Bill and called on other patriotic groups desirous of Nigeria’s unity to join it to “shoot down” the bill.
(Editor: Nkoli Omhoudu)
