The global economic recession or meltdown which has been the subject of discussion at several International summits and social fora in recent times is gradually creeping into one of Nigeria’s foremost oil producing state, Delta.
While a few in the country, particularly Delta State are abreast with the effect of the recession on the EURO Zone, not many have come to terms with the harsh economic realities set to hit the oil rich state as well as its attendant negative effect.
Anyone who is familiar with the socio-economic dynamics of Delta State will know that the reasonable level of peace and security as well as economic stability in the state in the past few years is due to the thousands of young people employed by Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC and the Escravos Gas to Liquid Project, EGTL operated by Chevron Nigeria Limited. This is also not forgetting the number of those who are involved in illegal oil bunkering in the coastal communities as well as those politically engaged at the local government level.
Investigations however reveal that the recent resurgence of kidnappings, armed robbery and other social vices in the state is fallout of unreported job losses largely connected to economic meltdown, which has resulted in limited cash flow. It may interest us to known that DESOPADEC recently dropped some of its employees for certificate forgery, while thousands have been laid off in EGTL, with hundreds being axed on monthly basis following Chevron’s directive that the project be completed latest December 2012 over what the company describes has undue delay and overshooting of the budget meant for the project.
The lack of political leadership at the local government level since May 2011 as well as the declining monthly federal allocation to the councils due to global recession is also having its negative effect on the state. While political gladiators at the local government level are at loss as to when the next local government polls will be conducted, their loyalists whose financial supply have suddenly gone dry are left in hopeless situation.
The crux of the matter is that a state like Delta which largely depends on the oil companies and state government for employment, will have to search deeply inward, as both the state government and Chevron are pushing for large cuts in recurrent and capital expenditure in line with global realities.
The import of this development is that except something urgent is done by all stakeholders, the wave of criminal activities in Delta State in particular and the Niger Delta in general will get worse.
Editor – In – Chief
Copyright: Fresh Angle International (www.freshangleng.com)
ISSN 2354 - 4104
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