The Obolos in Rivers, Abia,
and Akwa-Ibom States under the aegis of Idea Obolo have planned a summit to promote the political and economic Emancipation of the Obolo people and Niger Delta people in general.
In a meeting which was tagged, “2nd Obolo Unity Summit” held at Ibeno town in Akwa-Ibom State the group deliberated on economic, political and human capacity developments of Obolo ethnic nationality and Niger Delta in general.
The summit also discussed health hazard caused by oil exploration and gas flaring, which was described as the major challenges facing the people of Obolo, particularly those in the Niger Delta region in Nigeria.
Delivering a lecture on “Health Hazard of oil exploration, (Gas flaring) on the environment and Human,” the Chairman, Rivers State Health Management Board, Dr. Okere Iragunima said the people of Niger Delta, where oil exploration world continue to record high rate of death and environmental degradation, if the activities of multinational oil companies were not checked in the region.
According to him, the effect of oil exploration and gas flaring on the environment and human in the region negatively high compared to the economic benefits, if there is any.
He called on governments and multinational oil companies to proffer alternatives, in which oil exploration activities would be technologically carry on without affecting the people in the area and called on governments, communities leaders and oil companies to tackle the menace of illegal bunkering.
Also speaking, chairman of the occasion and former Executive Director, projects, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Architect E. I. I. Etteh Ibeno stressed the need for the Obolo nation to form a formidable economic and political alliance to ensure emancipation of the people and Niger Delta region.
Arch. Etteh noted that Obolo pople in both Rivers and Akwa Ibom states are the most impoverished despite hosting over 95 percents of the oil exploration in the areas.
Another speaker, Dr Peter Esuh said, “to ensure that people have freedom to engage in industry and commerce, they must first fight poverty.”
According to him, Human capacity development could be addressed at four levels, such as Individuals, organisations, sector/network and the border enabling environment.
He called on government and private sectors to seek towards the emerging needs in human capacity development such as science and research, Bio-economics, social/policy analysis and communication of results in the society.
Esuh also listed economic growth, environmental sustainability, social equity and responsive knowledge and management/policy as the major objective for human capacity development and economic development in the country.
Enoch Epelle
