An environmental activist, Chief Sheriff Mulade, has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for relieving service chiefs of their positions and appointing their replacements, saying the development showed that the president has a listening ear given the growing agitation from Nigerians for a change of guard in the nation’s security architecture.
This was as he called for the urgent restructuring of the country following what he referred to as “the mismanagement of the nation’s resources, as well as the endless marginalization of the South-South region of the country.”
The peace advocate, while reacting to the president’s action, at a media conference in Abuja, expressed optimism that the action would bring improvement in security management in the country.
Mulade, who is the National Coordinator, Center for Peace and Environmental Justice, CEPEJ, appealed to Buhari to again, listen to the growing calls by Nigerians for the restructuring of the country, saying the agitation by politicians, religious and ethnic groups in parts of the country, especially in recent times, indicated that restructuring was the only solution to Nigeria’s current problems.
He thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for his proactiveness towards tackling security challenges, especially with the appointment of the new service chiefs.
He insisted that it was time for the Buhari’s administration to listen to the voices of the people clamoring for the imminent restructuring of the country.
According to him, the call was necessitated by the worsening insecurity across the country.
Speaking on the role of the Niger Delta in national development, Chief Mulade while noting that the region “is the main economic livewire of Nigeria under its crude oil and gas productions”, however, lamented what he described as “utter neglect of the oil and gas-rich region in terms of infrastructure, health, road construction, economic and human empowerment amongst others.”
The front-line development advocate expressed sadness over the high level of political marginalization of the Niger Delta people, many of whom he noted, “are qualified to work for the growth and development of Nigeria.”
He regretted that the people were not only excluded in the present administration but also ridiculed when making suggestions for nation-building.
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