Breaking: Ex-President, Nigeria Environmental Society, NES becomes 2nd signatory to Niger Delta Peoples Charter

A Former President of Nigeria Environmental Society, NES and elder statesman, Engr. Olu Andah Wai-Ogosu, on Monday November 15, appended his signature to the Niger Delta Peoples Charter, making him the second signatory to the Charter, expected to be presented the world 23rd February, 2022.

Engr. Wai-Ogosu, added his imprimatur on behalf of Rivers State, after Prof. Ebiegberi Joe Alagoa, signed on behalf of Bayelsa State at his Nembe Home in Bayelsa on November 4, 2021.

President of Niger Delta Congress, Nubari Sataah, in a terse statement shortly after Engr. Wai-Ogosu, signed the Charter, emphasized: “The Niger Delta Peoples Charter, will continue its journey to other Niger Delta States, to collate signatures. It is expected that 70 persons will sign the Charter, including representatives of all ethnic nationalities of the region and Pan Niger Delta groups.

“The Niger Delta Peoples Charter, will be presented to the world on 23rd February 2022, commemorating the 55th anniversary of the declaration of the Niger Delta Republic, by Major Isaac Adaka Boro”. 

The urgent need for Nigerian Constitution to be revised as recommended in the National Conferences convened in recent times, is top among five critical demands enshrined in the Niger Delta Peoples Charter.

According to Sataah, other four critical demands enshrined in the Niger Delta Peoples Charter, stated thus: “An immediate assessment of the entire Niger Delta environment be made to determine the scale of devastation, any compensation(s) recommended by the above inquiry (National Conferences) be paid speedily without delay, a complete cleanup of the entire Niger Delta region be carried out without delay and all monies received by the Nigerian government from the exploitation of crude oil and deprived the people of the Niger Delta, under the guise of ‘derivation formula’ be returned to the Niger Delta”.

 Recall that Ethnic Nationalities of the Niger Delta, under the auspices of Niger Delta Congress, NDC on Friday October 8, at Ijaw House Complex, Yenagoa in Bayelsa State, adopted a charter of what they termed their inalienable rights, warning that failure by the Federal Government to adopt a constitution that captures these rights in the shortest possible time, would leave Niger Delta people with no option, “but to exercise our rights to self-determination as a people, independent of the Nigerian Federation”.

The inalienable rights stipulated in the Niger Delta Peoples Charter, are: Life and Liberty, Resource Control, Sustainable Environment, Justice and Fairness as well as Self Determination.

During adoption of the Charter, NDC had emphasized: “The wishes of our people were dismissed by the pre-determined Henry Willink’s Commission setup by the British Colonial Government for the purpose of looking into our fears. The victimization and robbery of the Niger Delta people, has been done using various laws and decrees, including constitutions, which have over time been forced on our people, despite protest against such from our people”.

Engr. Wai-Ogosu & Nubari Sataah

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