The Urhobo Progress Union (UPU) has said it was in the process of submitting to the National Assembly (NASS) a paper on the position of the Urhobo nation on the Constitution review before the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) struck.
TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Olorogun Moses Taiga, President-General of the umbrella body of the Urhobo nation made this known during a press briefing at the weekend.
He stated that the UPU would continue to work with the federal and the Delta State Governments to ensure that Urhobos receive the Economic Impact of Government policies.
“Whilst, we as a socio-cultural Institution will remain non-partisan, we will seek to cooperate and work with each government and the institutions of state and federal governments of the day, to ensure that the Urhobo Nation gets its fair share of the resources and opportunities.
We were in the process of submitting the paper on Urhobo position to Senator-Omo-Agege-led Constitution Review Committee before COVID-19. We shall do so subsequently.
“The Federal and the Delta State Governments should provide adequate infrastructure to the Urhobo Nation. We need Federal Roads, particularly the East West Road, which has remained uncompleted for over 20 years.
“The Ughelli/Asaba Road, Benin-Sapele-Warri Road, among others, need completion. The road is in a terrible state of disrepair, which has led to needless loss of lives, properties and productive man-hours. A one-hour journey now takes between three to six hours. For the Urhobo people, and other Nigerians, plying the road, especially from the Ugbenu, Oghara, Adeje, Elume to PTI Junction on Effrun axis of the Benin-Ughelli Expressway, it has been a harrowing experience,” he said.
He further stated that the UPU requires an urgent attention for the legalization of community policing and solution to the herdsmen menace in Urhobo communities.
“We seek the return of Uvwie and Okpe lands, acquired for military purposes, in the past, but not so utilised, and are being sold subsequently being sold by the military to private individuals.
“We, as a Nation, had presented this matter to the President – HE Muhammadu Buhari, in June 2018, and he made a commitment to return these lands. But nothing has been done till now.
“Our Sapele Port that was given to the Navy, which is currently underutilized, should be restored back as a full operating Port. We also want full business activities at the Warri Port. Government should also develop the Okwagbe/Ganagana Port in Ughelli South Local Government. We generate Gas from Utorogu Plant – Perhaps, the largest Gas Plant in Nigeria – yet electricity in Urhobo land is comatose! This needs to be redressed.
“Government should bring in Investments to our area, together with provision of adequate SECURITY. Without security, there will be no investment or investors, with consequential zero job opportunities for our teaming youths. Our concern for the security situation for the state and country cannot therefore be over emphasised,” he said.
He also stated the resolve of the Urhobo nation to continue to cooperate with neighbouring ethnic groups.
“It is a sine qua non: It is our cardinal policy to co-exist peacefully with our neighbours in: The South, the Ijaw, Itsekiri and Isoko. The North – the Ukwani, Oshimili and Anioma. And further – The Bini, the Igbo, the Igala, the Yoruba and other ethnicities. We will continue to cultivate their friendship and good neighbourliness,” he stated.
Speaking on the Urhobo Language Education, Olorogun Taiga thanked the Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa for the approval of the Urhobo Language Curriculum for Primary and Junior Secondary Schools.
“We, however, need this to be extended to include areas of Patani and Warri South LGAs, which have sizeable population of Urhobos,” adding that for primary health care, these are new times.
“With the COVID-19 Pandemic, our lives have changed. UPU therefore has added Responsibilities to our people. We intend to play a bigger role in community sensitization, ensuring that we prevent rather than treat Corona Virus. We need to care more for the elderly, poor and infirmed persons,” he said.
The UPU P-G used the opportunity to thank President Muhammadu Buhari for naming some Railway Stations along the Itakpe/Ajaokuta/Aladja/Warri Corridor after worthy Urhobo Sons.
“We thank him for naming the Abraka Station after Major-General David Ejoor (Rtd.), and the Okpara Station after Olorogun Michael Ibru. The Urhobo Nation is immensely grateful for this honour done to our departed heroes,” he said.