PH Mundial – Port Harcourt Online Newspaper News Across The Region
Related Articles
By Young Erhiurhoro, Warri
Following plans by the Federal Government to obtain a $1 billion loan from foreign banks, among them, the Islamic Development Bank (IDB), aimed purchasing farming equipment for local farmers in the country, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stalwart in Delta State, Mr. Goodluck Irorohwo Oyibokure, has said that Urhobo people would not be in support of such plans since the Islamic bank was involved.
In a media chat with our correspondent at his Ughelli residence, the Uwheru-born public administrator said, “Actually, we the Urhobo people are not against the Federal Government plans to obtain loans from foreign banks to develop agriculture in Nigeria. But what we are against as a people is the idea of including the Islamic Development Bank in the loan issue.”
He argued that Urhobo people “can’t really be in support of such idea considering the issues of Fulani herdsmen invading and terrorizing Urhobo communities on daily basis especially now that the dry season is setting in. For instance, the terrorist attacks by these Fulani herdsmen on our fathers and mothers as poor local farmers in my community of Uwheru has already become a recurrence experience. These people must kill our people and destroy our communities on every farming season.
“Even as I speak now, they are on it again. Reports are already on air about their killings, kidnappings and raping of married and underage girls. In all these, the people are helpless without any support from both the state and the federal government. We are facing a lot of security challenges in Uwheru communities even as I speak now as a result of the evil activities of these Fulani herdsmen.”
“However, the point I want to make here is that, we as a people we support the loan to improve on agriculture in the country, but among the three foreign banks as disclosed by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr. Sabo Nanono, the Islamic Development Bank should be removed from the list. It’s just a way of the Federal Government to enslave the Niger Delta people more especially the Urhobo people. Don’t forget, no matter how you are rich and powerful, you are always under the control of who you take loan from.
“From the words of the minister, the repayment schedule is fifteen years. This is like adding more burden to the ones we are already carrying by giving these Fulani herdsmen more power to terrorize our people.
“Let me use this medium to call on our legislators both at the Delta State House of Assembly and our representatives in the National Assembly to rise against this issue of taking loan from Hausa/Fulani bank to develop our agriculture. Urhobo traditional rulers should rise now and speak against it in loud voice. These people I mentioned are the representatives of the Urhobo local farmers. In fact, every Urhobo in any position should vehemently fight against this oppression.
“In most cases, we have discovered that such loans are not used for the purpose for which they were taken. Rather, they are used to acquire fire arms and other sophisticated ammunition for these herdsmen to exterminate our people and communities. This is not the first time they are doing it in this country. The Northerners always hold to the opportunity of their brother being the president of this country and they are using the opportunity to the detriment of other ethnic regions in the country. The plans are never in our favour. This is another antic by Buhari to enslave our people. Nigeria belongs to us all,” he said.
Meanwhile, the loan was to be obtained under the Green Imperative Programme launched by Vice President Yemi Osibanjo in January, 2019. The programme emanated from the More Food International Programme which was initiated by Brazil to aid agricultural development around the world especially in Africa.
