There has been easy calm in the Ijaw-populated riverine areas of Delta State as the nationwide hunger and hardship protest hit major cities across the country on the second day.
The situation in the riverine areas was sequel to the positions taken by various groups and leaders of the area on the protest.
Recall that, the executive chairmen of Bomadi and Burutu local government areas of Delta State, issued separate statements 48 hours to the scheduled date of the protest, urging indigenes to maintain the peace in the riverine area.
Again, the Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, Western Zone, also issued a statement less than 12 hours to the protest, where they urged Ijaw youths to shun the protest for well-articulated reasons.
However, calling on Bomadians to maintain their stand on the second day of the protest, the executive chairman of Bomadi council area, Hon. Andaye Rawlings Dagidi, thanked indigenes for maintaining the peace in the council area.
He also reiterated his administration’s readiness to work in all earnest to attend to the basic needs of Bomadians, stressing he would seek their opinion in issues bordering development of the council area.
“I want to say kudos to the people of Bomadi local government area for maintaining the prevailing peace, thank you for heeding our advice and directives. As a government, we are already on ground to work for you”, he said.
Hon. Julius Takeme, the executive chairman of Burutu council area, on his part lauded the people of the council area for their peaceful disposition during the nationwide protest.
“I commend the people of Burutu council area for their peaceful disposition during the nationwide protest. I want to assure them that council would always work for their well-being”.
However, the Bishop Catholic Diocese of Bomadi, Most Rev. Hyacinth Egbebo, has urged protesters across the nation to maintain peace and composure while on the streets.
Egbebo noted that the concept of leaders being servants of the people should be entrenched, stressing the government of the day should listen to the protesting youths and address them.
He said: “It is difficult to think of another protest, how I wish a day would not come for us to be protesting because the economy is already in bad straits. So, protesting would not be in our own interest.
“But, given the fact that the government has not addressed the issues for which this protest is being occasioned and seemingly there is no alternative to it. How I wish the government had engaged these people who are putting points for them to consider.
“Again, once you have a huge number of people going for protestation of this kind, a lot of things happen and because of all that, I will appeal the government to do the needful. The government should engage the youths on the points they have put forward”.
