? CRUSHING BUDGET FOR THE NIGER DELTA

By Michael Egbejumi-David

It was the crated one, Umaru Dikko who once said that the South-South is the junior partner in its relationship with he North-North.  He then went further to impishly advice the South-South to so conduct themselves.  Unfortunately I have had to re-live that painful ill-bred slur on the heels of President Yar’Adua’s 2008 proposed budget.

As typical of the now established governance style of Yar’Adua, we would have to wait a long time before the minutiae of the budget proposal is made known to the rest of the country.  At his budget presentation to the National Assembly, Yar’Adua said that a sum of N444.6 billion would be allocated to “Security and the Niger Delta”.  As per the manner of our servant-leader, that was left suitably vague.  News now trickling out of the Senate avers that that sum is actually for the Military, Police and security in the Niger Delta. The operative phrase being: security in the Niger Delta.  A separate allocation of N69.9 billion is proposed for the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

Just to get this out of the way; the NDDC as set up by Obasanjo in 2000 operates as a political fiefdom of the ruling political Party and class.  Essentially it does as it pleases according to the dictates of its political master(s).  It is weighed down by politics and intrigues.  It has no formal or structured operational plans.  In fact, most of its funds disappear into that black hole: overheads and administration – Nigerian style.

Now, to get back to the matter of this proposed budget and how it relates to the Niger Delta:  It is quite worrying that N444.6 billion would be dedicated to the Military, the Police, and Security in the Niger Delta.  That tells me that for this administration, the problem of the Niger Delta is security.  To spell it out better; that is, that Niger Deltans are impeding the crude oil lifting business and that is the priority as far as the government is concerned.  It breaks your heart, doesn’t it?  The social, infrastructural and human development of the Niger Delta is therefore not something the Federal Government is truly worried about.  The area only comes into reckoning for them, when oil flow is disturbed.  It brings to mind how the regime of the demented Abacha related to the Niger Delta.  Then, the region was seen as a foreign territory to be conquered and its resources carted out to benefit others.  There had always been one military task force or the other there to subjugate its people.  This reached its apogee with the task force that was led by a vile and evidently psychotic man called Lt Col Paul Okuntimo; a real son of perdition who boasted that he knew of 103 ways to kill a person. The mad man wasn’t kidding.  The only things he slew in even greater numbers were his own humanity, his family name and English grammar.

But it looks like we are back to that era as the preferred mode of engagement for the Federal government with the people of that area.  In truth, it never really stopped as Obasanjo sadistically continued where Abacha left off.  Wasn’t it Atiku who in the height of his falling out with Obasanjo that informed the nation how much Obasanjo had spent to procure arms for the “security” of the Niger Delta?  The only difference was that OBJ’s task force met stiffer resistance and his military commanders were a lot more corrupt than Abacha’s.  What I find absolutely bewildering is that the government thinks this is the best approach to the situation in the Niger Delta.  I do not know one person in the Niger Delta that prefers to leave the comfort of a home and take to the creeks to play a deadly hide and seek game with the Nigerian Military.  The people of the Niger Delta want what every other human being on this planet wants:  a stable family home, good quality education, safe drinkable water, good roads, electricity, rejuvenation/renewal of the land, employment, and above all, a reasonable prospect for the future.  At present, all of these are absent.  People are forced into adopting other more unpalatable options because there’s only so much a people can take.  If you are dead-hungry and are too dumb to steal to feed yourself and family, something is wrong with you.  My understanding is that manna doesn’t fall from heaven anymore.  You cannot continue to plunder my land and at the same time discountenance my very existence and progress and think all will be well.

I know some would say the blame lies with the Governors in that area as they often pilfer most of their State’s monetary allocations.  They would be right of course, but this is also the case for most of the other States in the country.  But for me, that is not even half the issue.  Abuja was not developed by Abujans, neither was Lagos developed by Lagosians.  In fact most of Nigerian cities were developed (since 1956) by oil money from the Niger Delta region.  Even in this proposed budget, oil from the Niger Delta accounts for 80% of all the monies expected.  The rest are expected to come from VAT and taxation.  So most of those who mouths pompous but uninformed contemptible statements about the Niger Delta actually adds zero value to the country financially.  Yet, infrastructurally and socially, they are better off than the Niger Delta.

Look at the state Lagos is in today since the Federal government relocated to Abuja and left that State to its own devices.  But for the financial institutions still there, Lagos would be in a sorrier state than it is in now.  A trip to Ikoyi would leave you shaking your head and wondering what happened, as parts of Mushin seem better.  I am absolutely infuriated by the feeling I get from the Federal government (and some Nigerians) that Niger Deltan’s should be grateful for anything they get, and that they are disturbing the economic mainstay (oil) of the nation.  The Niger Deltans are saying that the prospecting, drilling, lifting and other activities relating to the economic mainstay of the nation, and the Federal government is disturbing them and making life difficult for them.

Really, it doesn’t have to be like this.  I think it was during the Babaginda or Abacha’s regime that maladroit people started saying that the terrain of the Niger Delta is too difficult to develop in terms of infrastructure.  Yet, Niger Deltans can see around them that this same terrain is not too difficult to build the infrastructure that gets the oil out.  Whole communities, farmlands and streams are destroyed to enable that; no problem.  Niger Deltans also see the oil companies build private splendid, expansive and spectacularly modern closed-in residential estates with all functional amenities including first grade health facilities.  These places are completely exclusive to the natives who live around there and own the lands.  How would you feel if this was happening in your backyard?

What is fair is fair.  The Netherlands is mostly a flat and low-lying country with about 40% of its land below sea level.  In fact, much of it is on polders protected by dykes. Its various governments over time built and maintains a system of functional canals, etc to make it the marvel it is today.  Texas (where the USA gets most of its domestic crude oil) was largely developed by proceeds from that oil.  It is a land of billionaires.   You cannot say the same for the Niger Delta. In the Niger Delta, the only billionaires you’ll find (apart from hard core thieving governors)  are those whose first names are Billionaire.  Here we are in 2008; our own government is primarily looking to beef-up its security operation in the Niger Delta.  The wellbeing of its people – on their priority scale – come a poor second, if that. 

When the Federal government lumps the Niger Delta together with the Nigerian military and the Police, it is saying that this is an area and a people to be subjugated by physical force while oil lifting business continues.  It is not even subtle at all.  The overall welfare of the people did not come into it.  With all the oil drilling that takes place there, there are no allied companies to gainfully employ the people of the region.  The crude oil gets barrelled out and comes back into the country in the form of 27 derivative products!  Well educated people are hanging about with no viable prospects and Federal might is being deployed to keep it so.  Or so it would seem.

demdem@hotmail.co.uk

Robot  Villager

# 1 I know some would say the blame lies with the Governors in that area as they often pilfer most of...Read the full article. Posted by Robot| 19.11.2007 07:56

dele26  Villager

# 2 a) ‘Efi ete si le, ki e pa lapa lapa’ b) ‘Eje ki ale akkataa lo no ki awa fi abo ba ediye Even if the federal budget is shared into two, where 70% is allocated to the Niger-Delta and the entire federation (excluding Niger-Delta) do with the remaining 30% the Niger-Delta allocation will end both in private accounts and governors’ foreign accounts, so what’s the noise about? Posted by dele26| 19.11.2007 10:29

Son of the Delta  Villager

# 3 =dele26;2091821431>a) ‘Efi ete si le, ki e pa lapa lapa’ b) ‘Eje ki ale akkataa lo no ki awa fi abo ba ediye Even if the federal budget is shared into two, where 70% is allocated to the Niger-Delta and the entire federation (excluding Niger-Delta) do with the remaining 30% the Niger-Delta allocation will end both in private accounts and governors’ foreign accounts, so what’s the noise about? and who have others been looting the Niger Delta till now and where did the monies end. Is Obasanjo from Niger Delta or is Abacha from Niger Delta? Haven't Nigeria been looting the 87% per cent it has been taking from the Niger Delta? or because the money is ending in the private of non-Niger Deltan private accounts is not a problem!!! Posted by Son of the Delta| 20.11.2007 05:35

Acting Major Benbella  Villager

# 4 Actually, I think the sum allocated to defense and security is quite low considering the gathering security conundrum that Nigeria faces, not only internally but also externally. America's presence in the Gulf of Guinea arises from the inability of Nigeria to police its waters from piracy, terrorism, illegal dumping of chemicals and over-fishing by foreign trawlers. It is silly to argue that Nigeria's allocation for defense is principally targeted at pacifying the Niger-Delta. That may be part of it but there is so much lack within the defense and police forces in Nigeria that the sum allocated to them in the 2008 budget will not even begin to address. The barracks are in a state of disrepair, as are the equipments of the armed forces. The Air force lacks viable fighters or a strategic airlift capability. It can't even afford to buy cheap advanced trainers for its pilots like the L-59. The whole darn country lacks air defence and must rely on old systems like the SA-7 for point defense of airfields and some strategic installations. I think a proper perspective can be drawn when the amount Nigeria budgeted for its defense is compared to those of other OPEC countries. Posted by Acting Major Benbella| 20.11.2007 05:50