Admin l Friday, February 10, 2017
YENEGOA, Nigeria – The Ijaw National Congress (INC) on Thursday berated Niger Delta environmental activist, Ms Ankio Briggs over her comments that 1,200 hectares of land has been set aside by the Bayelsa State government for Fulani herdsmen operating in the state.
The INC accused her of misinforming and inciting members of the public without making efforts to know the facts of the government’s decision.
While conceding that Briggs may have been fed the wrong information by ‘mischief makers’ on the reasons for allocating the area for the breeding and processing of cattle, the INC in a statement by its Chairman (Central Zone), Chief Kennedy Odiowei, said the activist missed the whole point of the government’s decision.
Briggs, had called on Ijaw people home and abroad to join her in condemning the recent decision of the Governor of Bayelsa State Hon Henry Seriake Dickson, to give Bayelsa Palm out for to cattle herdsmen in the state.
But the INC said that although it respected the advocacy and position of Briggs on issues affecting Ijaw/Niger Delta environment and people, it sharply disagreed with her on this one.
Odiowei said, “This time and case we will differ as she missed the well taken point by all that there is need to establish a central place for all cattle business in the state; and this is what informed Governor Seriake Dickson’s decision to provide and site the grazing field, ranch and abattoir at a portion of the Bayelsa Oil Palms farm.
“We believe Ankio Briggs was misinformed and deliberately too, by some mischief makers who will not see anything good in any decision taken, no matter how good that decision is by the Dickson administration.
“While we appreciate Ankio Briggs’ recognition that Bayelsa State represents the identity of Ijaw people and respect her right to freely express her opinion and concern on happenings in the state, particularly the wellbeing of the people, as opinion is free, we advise her to take a back seat and not delve unnecessarily into issues she is not properly informed on, no matter how concerned she may be.”
According to him, given the fact that the governor remains the Chief Security Officer of this state, he owes it a duty to the people to arrest and prevent any likely clashes between cattlemen operating in the state and the owners of farmlands whose farm crops could be destroyed in the process of grazing.
The INC added, “As it has been the case in many places in recent times. It is a decision taken to prevent injuries and deaths likely to arise in the event of any misunderstanding between cattlemen and farmers or farm owners in the state.
“The governor took the decision as part of his plan to reposition the economy of the state, a vigorous drive in agriculture and investment in livestock to increase the state’s scarce internally generated revenue (IGR).
Contrary to Briggs’ position that the land was ‘donated’ to the herdsmen, the Ijaw group maintained that the area still belongs to the government which has already set up a committee to oversee its management.
“The land in question in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State is government-owned. It was not donated but provided to cater for the need of cattlemen and others doing cattle related businesses such as grazing, ranching and marketing in the state.
“And it is with a belief that by so doing it will not only help to alleviate the living conditions of the people now and in the future but may put a stop to the suffering, humiliation and neglect Ankio Briggs said Ijaws have endured so far in Nigeria for so many years”, the INC argued.
