By Onome Oghenetega
A Niger Delta environmental activist and National Coordinator of Center for Peace and Environmental Justice (CEPEJ), Comrade SheriffMulade, has praised President Muhammadu Buhari for the appointment of new service chiefs for the nation’s armed forces.
Mulade stated that the step will not only put an end to agitation by concerned Nigerians for the rejigging of the Nigerian security architecture but will further strengthened the onslaught against insurgency and other insecurity issues confronting the nation.
The activist spoke on Tuesday in Abuja while addressing journalists few hours after President Buhari appointed new service chiefs for the nation’s armed forces amid worsening insecurity in the country.
Mulade, a Gbaramatu chief in Delta State, noted that although he was pleased with the new appointment, he called on President Buhari to focus on demands by Nigerians to restructure the country.
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He stressed that calls for restructuring by politicians, religious and ethnic groups in some parts of the country, especially in recent times, show that restructuring is the only solution to the Nigeria’s problems.
According to him, restructuring among other things will address the mismanagement of the nation’s resources as well as cure the massive corruption and nepotism that have characterised the current system being practiced in the country.
The CEPEJ boss also decried the continued marginalization of the people of the South-South region into strategic position at the federal level.
The Ibe-Sorimowei of Gbaramatu Kingdom said, “the region is the main economic live wire of Nigeria by virtue of its crude oil and gas productions which earn the Nation huge financial incomes.
“The utter neglect of the oil and gas rich region in terms of infrastructure, health, road construction, economic and human empowerment, as well as security and education, amongst others is highly regrettable.
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There’s high level of political marginalization of the Niger Delta people, many of whom are qualified to work for the growth and development of Nigeria but are unfortunately not included in the present administration, and are rather ridiculed when making suggestions for nation building.”
Commending Buhari on the successes recorded so far in the fight against insecurity, he noted that “restructuring is part of the developmental agenda of the All Progressive Congress (APC), as a party. It was also one of the main reasons the people voted the party to power in the first place.
Mulade charged the presidency to listen to the voices of the people and restructure the country now before it is too late.
