Like other social movement groups in the
country, the militant groups in the Niger Delta region evolved on the need for
the Federal Government of Nigeria to address environmental issues occasioned by
the activities of the oil and gas companies, especially the oil spillage and
gas flaring. The militancy has been an issue before the emergence of the
President Muhammadu Buhari administration. Like him, successive governments promised
to resolve the issues being raised by the people in the region regarding their
environment.
However, efforts of the present
administration to address the identified issues after 2015 general elections
led to the significant fall in the country’s revenue source –crude oil and
compounded the country’s recent economic recession between 2016 and 2017. Having realised the severity of the incessant
oil pipeline destruction and kidnapping of workers, Federal Government took
certain measures and reaffirmed its commitment to the welfare of the militants
who have been on the government’s payroll since 2007.
Some militants and communities in the
region have genuine cases against the government and oil producing companies. Many
communities in the region have been destroyed by the oil spillage. Farmers are
finding it difficult to cultivate lands for farming purposes and having bumper
harvests. This has been fronted on the social marginalization stand.
Stakeholders want government and oil companies in the area to ensure social
justice by providing social amenities and support that would reduce the
environmental impacts of oil spillage and gas flaring on their sources of
livelihood and wellbeing.
On social support side, Niger Delta
region is one of the semi-autonomous regions in Nigeria with the highest
unemployment rate. This has been another
factor driving militancy in the region. When this is not addressed, there is
propensity to have militants on the creek in the next two years. Paying the
militants monthly stipend would not prevent them from reestablishing themselves
on the creeks and wrecking companies’ facilities.
As the country prepares for next year
general elections, there is tendency of capitalising on the level of unemployment
by the politicians towards attaining their political desired. When
they failed to achieve their targets, country is most likely to witness the
resurgence of the militant activities in first and second quarters in
2019. The effects would affect
businesses in the region and likely to return the country to decline Gross
Domestic Product growth in 2019 and 2020, which will have significant influence on the
full attainment of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan.
The
impacts of the return of militancy will be enormous on the businesses in the
region and the country as a whole. Companies are most likely to lose their
employees to kidnappers and pay huge ransom to secure their release. Business
operations would be halted for several months. These will not stop as long as
government at the federal failed to take proactive measures towards addressing
the perennial socio-economic issues in the region. The effect will be severed
on the country’s revenue growth and a strategic clog for the country in
attaining the International Monetary Funds’ predicted 3.7% Gross Domestic
Product for 2019.
Comments
Post a Comment