From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
Recently, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, took time out to field questions about what the challenges are, being a state in opposition dealing with the center that is run by the ruling party, his take on the EFCC probe of the Paris fund refund to states, the result of the engagement of the oil-rich states by the federal government led by the Acting President, among other issues.
What are your views concerning the renewed interest of the federal government in the Niger Delta?
I think it is a step in the right direction. You will realize that since January 2016 it’s been very traumatic for those of us at the state level, particularly Delta state where we had a lot of attacks on oil facilities. From January to September 2016, it was really very traumatic. At the initial stage, we had immediate support, remember we did meet with the Acting President in May 2016 and we talked on a whole lot of issues and the heads of the security agencies were in that meeting. We did discuss in that meeting the need for us to have partnership with all the various communities that were involved in the destruction of pipelines. Somehow, that progressed slowly and in November 2016 when the President did meet with the South- South zone in the name of PANDEF (Pan Niger Delta Forum) as led by Chief Edwin Clark, it was then we started realizing that there was the possibility that with dialogue we could get somewhere. I think the leadership of PANDEF did meet thereafter and there has been a lot of communication between the leadership of PANDEF, the Office of the Vice President and the Minister of state for Petroleum and the elders in our various states.
I think this recent visit has opened up a whole lot of issues including giving the communities the opportunity to realise that the federal government is not just turning its back on them and that it is not just all about military action. And as a matter of fact, some of the misconception that they did have has been laid to rest especially with regards to the Maritime University at Okerenkoko. This is because the little information that was available to them at the federal level was that there were irregularities, but I think the Acting President’s visit to that site gave a different opinion. So I think somebody did pass some wrong information and the attempt to close down the university was actually the real factor behind the renewed militancy in the region. I believe that with the current relationship between the federal government, the state and the community in the Gbaramatu Kingdom and the visits to other states, will definitely give better reassurance. The federal government does realize that that peace process is very important for us to be able to ensure that largely the oil facilities and the oil companies are given the best of environment to thrive.
I believe the federal government has realise that it has lost a lot and the state government has also lost a lot. As at today we have gone down to the fourth oil producing state that ordinary should not be. I also agree that while they are criminal elements in this pipeline vandalism, some of them are actually more interested in the agitations because when elders of a kingdom or community get frustrated and they can’t exercise any form of control over their youths. But now that the elders have been encouraged, I believe they are talking with the youths and the youths didn’t hide that fact during the Acting president’s visit that they believe in their elders and that the talks going on with the elders is something they welcome and they hope that it will progress.
How distracting has this militancy been in your efforts to bring development to your state?
It’s been very distracting. Delta state has had the greater bite of this militancy and unfortunately about 80 percent of the pipeline destruction did occur in the state. That is why you must look at what could be the factors behind this. The Maritime university that was being closed down is in Delta state, in a community which already felt aggrieved that something was going wrong, also the fact that it was so obvious that the immediate past president is from a particular ethnic group and the university which he inaugurated shortly before he left was being shut down, also made them more aggrieved. In terms of security, the uncertainties of security, the destruction, the loss in terms of derivation because as you know states are entitled to 13 percent derivation, also had a huge impact on us. The destruction of the environment is a huge impact on us, even supporting the security agencies to be able to maintain peace, to be able to carry enough surveillance, to stop further attacks on the oil pipelines and to be able to protect the oil exploration companies is a whole lot of expenditure. So here you have a situation where the monies have gone down remarkably because of the oil prices, there’s a lot of shutdowns and shut-ins, a lot of destruction particularly with the pump lines at Forcados. Since February 2016 we have had 250,000 barrels per day shut-ins because there is no means of transporting it for export. With all these you find out that you are getting much less and you are spending a lot more on security. It’s absolutely a very big distraction.
What would be your reaction to the Acting President’s pronouncement that the federal government is going to work with illegal refiners?
The Acting president’s recent comment which I have heard him said twice, is the direction to go, it has always been the direction to go but it appears we have been paying lip service to it. The issue of modular refineries is issues that have been on the front burner for too long a time. If we are going to rely on the very huge refineries we may not be able to get out of where we are because of the cost of putting them in place, the cost of maintenance and so many things. I think it will make the products available, it will boost the pricing definitely and it will create jobs. The illegal refineries of course, is not the best option but since we find that people are beginning to go in that direction, I think there is a need to actually see what can be done about it.
During the visit of PANDEF you did say you did not want the withdrawal of military from the waterways but from the communities because of their heavy handed response to renewed attacks on oil installations. How has the relationship with the military in the state fared after that meeting?
I think it is much better. I think the federal government did heed to that advice. Our people have never called for the withdrawal of the military but the fact is that they did not want a situation where the military now occupy the communities and instill fear in the people. I think that has been attended to and we appreciate the federal government for that. The military are still in the waters they are doing their work particularly the Navy, they are protecting the oil facilities.
One wonders why you are not investing in Maritime transportation instead of building roads like it’s done abroad since the cost is outrageous?
Definitely we are doing well in that stead and we will continue to improve on it. That is the means of transport as at today and is something we have to encourage the private sector to get involved in more and more. There was a time our own dockyard was running transport through the water ways but we want to encourage the private sector to go that line. You know that no matter what you do on that stretch, people are happy with it but they will still like to drive their vehicles directly to their homes, it gives them a sense of joy. When they come to your land they see the road they also want to see things come to their communities. We will definitely take advantage because maritime has its advantages.
What is your take on the probe into how state governments spend the Paris debt loans refund?
There is nothing wrong with that. I think apart from the committee looking at the things that were done in the past, there is actually this budget support facility which was given to states to assist states pay salaries and all sorts. We are not opposed to such because it was a facility that was given and there were certain conditions that were given for the expenditure of the funds, I don’t think the governors are opposed to that. It is a budget proposed facility and is either you are expending it on the payment of salaries or on infrastructure development.
But there is allegation that some of those funds were diverted?
That is a very wrong impression. You see the average Nigerian does not trust the governors and somehow too, unfortunately, even within the press you find out that there is a lot of distrust especially coming from the social media where all kinds of things are being done. I don’t think that it is the right path to go; we must continue to encourage our government to do the best they can. The governors are doing quite a lot even under this very difficult condition but because the times are also very tough people may not also be able to appreciate what we are going through. Take my state for instance where you have over N7 billion in wage bill monthly, you begin to wonder how we are able to manage. So I actually believe that the governors are doing their best, times are tough but you don’t also blame the public because they are also going through a lot of pains. But my local government councils are not as lucky as I am, they have lot of salary arrears and at the moment we are helping them to manage it. We are offering support where we can but the situation is really quiet tough for them.
What has been your relationship with the government at the center, considering you are of different political parties?
In the first instance, I have a philosophy I have been elected to govern the people, yes I am in the PDP and I remain in the PDP. In governance you must be able to separate the issue of partisan politics, from governance, otherwise you will realise that from day one you would have lost track in what you are doing. I’m a governor to the people in PDP, APC, APGA, and Labour party, as well as people in several other parties and therefore I must see myself to be serving the people and that is what I’m doing. I tell people there is time to play politics but if you start playing politics in your first year or even second or third year, you will get distracted and you will not be able to carry on with your duties.
So I will say as a governor I have good relationship with the government at the center because I have tried to stay away from talking party politics but offering advice and wanting to partner with them based on the need for mutual partnership that will help both the state and the federal government especially since my state is one of the oil rich states. I think that partnership is very important. The federal government to a very large extent has also kept that relationship with my state because with the security challenges that we have, the partnership must be real for us to be able to tackle it properly, and we have been able to build that synergy together. So I don’t have any challenge as regards our relationship. As regards my leaving the PDP, I’m fully in the PDP and I will remain in the PDP.
You did say there is a lot of craziness going on, on the social media what is your take on the issues surrounding the President’s ill health?
We want to thank God that Mr. President is healthy despite the insinuations. We are very much aware that he has spoken very regularly with the Acting President; he has been visited by top and well meaning Nigerians and particularly very recently the leadership of the National Assembly. It is obvious that he is well and that the speculations as regards his health are uncalled for. By and large, when somebody is sick the onus is on us especially being the leader of the country, to pray for him and I think that is the right thing to do. There is no human being who cannot fall ill, that is why we are human beings, and we are actually mortals, so anybody can fall sick. So when we have our president falling ill, I don’t think it is the right thing to do to begin to wish him dead or to speak in the negative concerning his health. I think he is on advice from his doctors to hold on and I think we should stop the talk and allow him get treated by his doctors so that he is strong enough before he comes back to us, so that we don’t, out of pressure rush him out of where he is only for him to possibly relapse.
What is the latest on the Asaba airport?
On the airport, we had some issues, the contract was re-awarded just the very week the last administration left but we have kept it on course. It’s a total reconstruction of the runway and we also had the earth shields to bring down, with some other job to be done including, the procurement and installation of the instrument landing system which is going to, at the completion, give us advantage over all other airports around there because of the instrument landing system. The work has started now and is ongoing. I hope by God’s grace that by the month of May, we should have finished with the entire process and at the end, it will obviously be the best runway with instrument landing system that we have within the whole of that place.
The length of the runway as it stands is 3.4 kilometers with an 800 meter clearance. It’s not something we even have within Abuja and Lagos. So, it’s important we realize that. And with the instrument landing system, you can land both at night and at any point in time
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