…Calls On President Buhari To Intervene
The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide has warned against the continuous persecution, discriminatory treatment and threat to sack and demote staffs of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) of Niger Delta origin.
The IYC, under the leadership of Barr. Eric Omare, made this known today in a release made available to GbaramatuVoice
According to the release, the Board of the agency led by Retd General India Garba since assumption of office has threatened to fire or demote those staffs that were engaged during the tenure of the President Goodluck Jonathan with Mr. Patrick Akpobolakaemi as Director General of the agency.
Such threat if carried out may not be good for the incessant peace and the security of the region, the group stated.
“This threat, have reached crescendo under the Board of the agency led by Retired General India Garba as he has now resolved to massively sack and demote most NIMASA staffs of Niger Delta origin under the guise of proper placement.”
Comr. Omare, therefore, condemned the move describing it as unconstitutional, discriminatory and unpatriotic plan and will be inglorious for execution by the General India Garba’s led Board of NIMASA.
In his words, “We state that NIMASA is not the property of a section of the country to control as indigenes of Niger Delta origin; just like other Nigerians have equal right to be recruited into the agency and therefore should not be subjected to discriminatory treatments.”
The group further warned that the mentality that NIMASA is the exclusive preserve of some sections of the country must stop, adding that if there must be any proper placement of NIMASA staffs, it must apply to all staffs of the agency and not people from Niger Delta alone.
According to the group, “this is the height of arrogance and extremely provocative for some privileged persons in the Buhari Government to think that NIMASA is their exclusive agency to control when substantially part of the activities and resources of NIMASA are generated from the Niger Delta region.”
In the same manner, the group stressed that Niger Deltans are part and parcel of Nigerian; hence they should be given equal access to be employed and work in national institutions like NIMASA.
IYC stated further that it is important to note that the NIMASA Board is putting pressure on the DG of NIMASA to effect the sack and demotion despite a directive by the Senate Committee on maritime matters to stop the action.
Omare on behalf of the group, therefore, warn the General India Garba’s led NIMASA Board to immediately stop the planned massive sack and demotion of staffs of Niger Delta origin so as not to breach the fragile peace in the region
The group also called on President Muhammadu Buhari to call General India Garba (Retd) led NIMASA Board to order so as to avoid unnecessary tension and crisis in the region.
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