By Odo Ogenyi, Uyo
The Movement for the Survival of Izon Ethnic Nationality in the Niger Delta (MOSIEND) has lauded the Nigeria Content Development and Monitoring Board for supporting initiatives aimed at ensuring a non-violent approach to agitation for justice in the region.
Rising from their four-day leadership training workshop in Uyo, yesterday, participants hailed the local content agency for its support for a paradigms shift in the oil region.
The local content agency was established in 2010 by the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act and vested with the mandate to make procedures that will guide, monitor, coordinate and implement the provisions of the NOGICD Act signed into law on April 22, 2010.
MOSIEND President, Kennedy West, said at the retreat that the Ijaw group is working to bring down the red flag profiling of the region by initiating such training programmes for a new cadre of leaders in the region.
“It should however be stated here that the hostile respond of the Nigerian state to the valid agitation of the peoples of the Niget Delta sparked the eruption of violence in the area.
“Since there is time for everything, the leadership of MOSIEND holds the view that it is high time we began a new approach for addressing issues in our region.
“With the lessons we have learnt so far, MOSIEND is pushing for extensive and robust community engagements to prepare them for a new model of achieving their socio-economic, political and environmental quest.
“Our goal is aimed at re-orienting, repositioning, and recovery of the loses of the oil-bearing communities.
“We are hoping to leave behind us an enduring legacy of greater cooperation, purposefulness, and pragmatism in the handling of the advocacy issues in our region.” West explained.
Chief Executive Officer of Facilitation and Services Ltd, Olumide Ajowale, who handled the four-day training programme said that the time has come for a different approach to the demands of the oil region.
According to Ajowale, they have started a pilot training programme for 35 Niger Delta youths aimed at impacting them with what leadership is all about in the 21st century.
The training expert says they are equipping the youths with international best practices “that will guarantee greater inflow of foreign direct investment, and equitable resolution of areas of conflict.
“The active social formations in the Niger Delta are not likely to achieve much in the changing times if they continue to depend on their old methods.
“That is why the training is very significant. We are very optimistic that things will be changing for the better for the aggrieved oil-bearing communities.
“Our trainees have been adequately equipped with what it takes to successfully engage with legislators, operators of the oil companies, and any other interest group.
“In the weeks ahead, we are looking forward to seeing a fresh method of engagements in the Niger Delta that will promote peace and fairness to parties concerned.” He said.
