Read Ogoni Star online: www.mosop.org Niger Delta Report: Ethnic Nationalities to Protest Non- Implementation in Abuja VOICE OF NIGER DELTA PEOPLE Vol. 11, No 4. May 13 - 26, 2010 ISSN 2006-2389 N100.00 Another Shell Major Pipeline Fire Ravages Ogoni Farm Lands Shell Soldiers Murder Another Ogoni Youth - MOSOP Faults JTF Claim Recent Oil Pipeline Fire in Gokana, Ogoniland MOSOP Petitions Oil Dev. In UN Over Planned N’Delta has Military Barracks Failed - Prof. Ibeanu US Faults Nigeria’s Anti-Corruption Crusade 2 News Ogoni Star May 13 - 26, 2010 applicants outside the Commission’s premises, said INEC Recruitment: Police Assault Applicants opportunity was opened for d i s c o v e r e d t h a t t h e everyone that applied for the … As Graduates Keep Vigil at PH Office Commission went ahead to job to be interviewed, but he however pleaded that his staff l a n s b y t h e Harcourt. members of the public, the horsewhip and teargas. conduct interview sessions by 8pm penultimate Monday. be allowed to go home as it Independent National The applicants, made up Commission had deliberately Others told Ogoni Star was already late. electoral Commission of mainly graduates, besieged refuse to publish the full list of that the INEC officials only The protesting applicants P said they were calling on the H e f u r t h e r e d t h a t (INEC) to fill existing the Port Harcourt office of the those shortlisted for the job allow those they know access applicant's should go home vacancies in readiness for the Commission, accusing its that were to be interviewed. into the premises for the National Assembly and the Federal Government to and take a good night rest as it f o r t h c o m i n g n a t i o n a l officers of been high handed The Commission rather interview. was unwise for them to be elections in 2011 seem to and bias in the recruitment d e v i s e d a m e a n s o f They furthered that for investigate the on-going recruitment exercise by passing the night outside the have hit a stumbling block. process. conducting secret interviews three days they have not Commission’s premises. This follows as crisis, Our reporter gathered b e f o r e w i n d o f t h e taking their bath, and they INEC. H o w e v e r , w h e n Ogoni Star reliably chaos and confusion that from some of the applicants h a p p e n i n g s s p r e a d t o have been keeping watch at gathered that the electoral trailed the exercise after who spoke on conditions of applicants which was the the INEC office, because contacted on the issues, INEC's Resident Electoral body is seriously occupied trouble brook-out between anonymity that although reason why the applicant's after they were deceived that with the task of engaging men of the Nigerian Police INEC had given wide protested peacefully before there was no interview going Commissioner for Rivers State, Barr. Austine Okojie, more hands in a bid to boost Force drafted to the INEC publicity to its advertorial INEC officials called in the on in the commissions its staff strength in readiness office and applicants in Port calling for application from police to disperse them with p r e m i s e s , t h e y l a t e r who rather chosed to address the over 5,000 protesting for the 2011 elections. he Movement for the Survival of the TO g o n i P e o p l e MOSOP Petitions UN over Planned Military (MOSOP) has petitioned military facility, in flagrant Pyagbara. the United Nations over Barracks in Ogoni By Kelvin Ebiri violation of the provisions He explained that proposed plan by the Rivers of the United Nations mangrove forest depletion State Government to and food sovereignty, 9th Session at the United of the state. c u l t u r a l a u t o n o m y , Nations Headquarters, New MOSOP said it is Declaration on the Rights of and disappearance, which is r e l o c a t e t h e 2 n d I n d i g e n o u s P e o p l e s as a result of several human- A m p h i b i o u s B r i g a d e economic security, job York by its International saddening that whilst s e c u r i t y a n d w o u l d Advocacy Officer, Legborsi humanity is grappling with particularly articles 3, 26, 30 driven activities, especially, headquarters in Port and 32 of the Declaration. the massive oil pollution in Harcourt to Ogoni area. definitely impact their Saro Pyagbara. ways of dealing with the s t r u g g l e s t o r e d u c e T h e R i v e r s S t a t e scourge of climate change Pyagbara pointed out the Niger Delta, is not only a M O S O P s a i d t h e that the Niger Delta threat to the people's project not only has serious emissions. Government had announced by seeking for better means The Ogoni group's last year that it intended to of protecting forests and inhabited by a large belt of collective survival but also a implications for Ogoni indigenous communities is threat to the climate. environmental security but petition was presented to the r e l o c a t e t h e 2 n d embarking on forestation United Nations Permanent A m p h i b i o u s B r i g a d e p r o g r a m m e s , s o m e also home to the country's MOSOP said there is at also has vast implications stretch of mangrove forest. present no known law and on the people's food security Forum on Indigenous Issues headquarters to Ogoni area countries like Nigeria are working in a different According to him, Nigeria strategies of biodiversity direction. has the third largest conservation covering NDE to Partner Local Councils "Since last year, the mangrove forest in the mangrove forest protection Rivers State Government in world, and the largest in in Nigeria. Yet, the forest Nigeria had proposed the Africa, covering an area of remains one of the greatest on Youth Empowerment building of a huge military approximately 105,000 assets of indigenous peoples h e N a t i o n a l N a t i o n a l O p e n cannot carter for the training barrack facility in the Ogoni hectares. and their lives and well- D i r e c t o r a t e o f Apprenticeship Scheme of all the youths in the territory. Large hectares of The Niger Delta, which being are tied to the TEmployment (NDE) (NOAS) in Port Harcourt. country. land and forests are to be is the home to the largest wellbeing of their land and has expressed it willingness He said while over 3,000 Engr. Nwachukwu said seized from local people for proportion of the mangrove forests. to enter into partnership with the programme is targeted at youths are to be trained at this project, yet nothing forest in the country, "There is no doubt that i n d i v i d u a l s a n d l o c a l present under the scheme, the solving the unemployment concerning the project had according to him, is in the coming years, our government councils willing NDE will appreciate the problem in the country. been discussed extensively currently reported to be the forests are going to be under to empower the youths in creation of more chances for He encouraged the most exploited in the world increasing focus and their constituencies and local youths yet to be trained youths to be dedicated to with the Ogoni people, our free, prior and informed b a s e d o n F o o d a n d discussions as we grapple government areas. through the provision of funds learning their choosen trade Agriculture Organisation, with the effects of climate N D E D i r e c t o r o f and sponsorship of training rather than just been consent have not been FAO, of the United Nation's change and the realisation Training Services, Port interested in the stipends that sought and no impact programmes by Local report in 1997. Harcourt Office, Engr. John Government Councils, will be paid to them during the assessment had been done" that our forests hold some of “Recent satellite-based Nwachukwu, stated this Senators or even other training as the opportunity said Pyagbara the keys for mitigating the during the orientation government agencies as the must be well utilized. He said despite Ogoni's study on the Niger Delta has impacts of this catastrophe", ceremony for training in The Federal Government alone protests and petitions, they found that between the Pyagbara declared. have been reliably informed periods 1986 to 2003, over MOSOP urged the that the government had 21,000 hectares of the United Nations to prevail on Gokana People Lament concluded plans to still go mangrove forest in the the Nigerian government to ahead with this project region has disappeared.