Stamping out economic marginalization

BY EMMANUEL NICHOLAS  

Social marginalization occurs when there is a neglect of races, communities and religious sects in distributing economics amenities. This involves infrastructural, industrial, Educational, Agricultural and health care development etc.  It may be through lack of political will or it might be an intentional deprivation, to impoverish and render a specific population incapacitated in economic and political value, in order to destabilize the people from self –dependency, Self –sufficiency and political empowerment via economic   expansion. 

James David also  described  Social exclusion as a  ‘’process in which individuals or people are systematically blocked from (or denied full access to) various rights, opportunities and resources that are normally available to members of a different group, and which are fundamental to social integration within that particular group’’.

It is  therefore a known fact that economic advancement cannot be achieved by any society without social amenities, and most governments in Africa have marginalized some communities in their countries.  This is common when the majority ethnic groups predominantly form the government of such countries over time. 

So out ethnographic gluttony for political power, they concentrate economic  expansion only in their regions, abandoning the minority tribes within the countries, even when the resources used in the development of such country is taken from the minority tribes.

So over the years this practice has wrought wars and tribal killings in African Countries. An emblematic example of such marginalization is the case of the Niger Delta Region in Nigeria, which lays the golden eggs that feeds the entire country.

 The South –South region is   backward in terms of development, while the Majority Regions that have governed the country for over 39 years, develop their regions at the detriment of Niger Delta, and this is what  gave to birth militancy,  whose agitation is driven by this  social  and economic injustice.

Economic marginalization grows ferocity, ferocity grows into contemptous distrust, this grows to communal conflicts, conflicts breed violence and violence if not contained with genuine purposeful negotiations to forestall total breakdown of law and order, breeds war,  and war destroy the economy bringing the country to ruins.

It is true Economic marginalization and destitution could lead to social unrest, political instability, a breakdown of democracy, or war. In a sense, our collective efforts to fight the crisis cannot be separated from our efforts to safeguard social stability and to secure peace.

War might justifiably be called “development in reverse”. War leads to death, disability, disease, and displacement of population. War increases poverty. War reduces growth potential by destroying infrastructure as well as financial and human capital. War diverts resources toward violence, rent-seeking, and corruption. War weakens institutions. War in one country harms neighboring countries, including through an influx of refugees. The causality also runs the other way. Just as wars devastate the economy, a weak economy makes a country more prone to war.

And so we can see a vicious circle—war makes economic conditions and prospects worse, and weakens institutions and this in turn increases the likelihood of war. Once a war has started, it’s hard to stop. And even if it stops, it’s easy to slip back into conflict.

This is why Governor Udom Emmanuel’s is ensuring, development spread is not concentrated in one Senatorial District, while  others are marginalized . In the industrial process so far Uyo Senatorial District is hosting LED Factory and Automobile Assembling plant   in Itam , ITU local Government Area , Prime Hatchery and Garri Mill  in Uruan Local Government Area ,Pencil and Tooth Pick and Peacock Paint  Factory in Etinan.

Eket Senatorial District hosts the Metering Company, Ceramics factory, Syringes Factory and Ikwe Refinery in Onna Local Government Area .Eastern Obolo hosting Rav Refinery ,  Esit Eket host the Petrochemical Refinery.

Resources Petroleum Refinery situated in two local Government Area of Ibeno and Eket. Tank Farms in Mbo and Ibom Deep Sea Port . International Jetty   oil and gas business hub in Ikot Abasi Local Government add to the spread.

In the Agro -allied development, the Udom Emmanuel led administration is reaching out to all the nooks and crannies. We have the Coconut Refinery in Mkpat Enin ,Ikot Abasi and Eastern Obolo , Rice plantation in Ini Local Government , Garri Mill in Esit Eket and Abak Local Government Area and Cocoa plantation in almost all the Local Government Areas.

 when we consider the Inter- Ministerial Direct Labour jobs, there are  over one  thousand projects completed and some ongoing  and there is no local Government Area with not less than  fifty projects.

On Road infrastructure , the Government of Udom Emmanuel is linking up the rural communities that was cut of from the Urban centers  , Five roads has been completed in Oron town and another five to be  commissioned in May this year . Dualization   from Airport Road to Oron metropolis  is ongoing to open up the Oro Nation to development . Ibaka Superhighway starts from Mbo - Esit Eket to  Ibeno to open the construction of Ibom Deep Sea Port . Ibeno -Eket Road Dualization will be completed in May this year, Dualization of Etinan-Eket ,Etinan -Ndoneyo , Ikot Oku Ikono -Etinan ,Uyo -Ikot Ekpene are ongoing.

In linking up the Rural communities to the Urban centers for increased economic activities ,Anua -Mbak -Isshiet Road linking the Uruan local Government to Uyo , Ikot Udom Road linking up Ibiono local Government to ITU ,Ikot Ukim Ikono Road linking Ikono Local Government to Ibiono and Ikpe ikot Nkon,  Obot Mme -Arochukwu road in Ini, linking the Ini local government with the neighbouring Abia State to increase commerce are all on the cards . There are no less than 28 roads currently under construction, as Governor Udom Emmanuel administration is building over 1000km of roads across the State without marginalizing any Local Government Area.

Economic aggression can have no other offspring than war. It is as dangerous as it is futile, so marginalizing of communities in economic development is a time bomb that must be avoided , this is why Governor  Udom is embracing economic inclusion instead of social exclusion.

The Former President of Nigeria , Dr Goodluck Jonathan  in his presentation to United States House of Representative committee on Africa said the problem of Niger Delta is economic exclusion and this is the stimulant of militancy in the region . He proceeded to highlight the strides of Governor Udom Emmanuel’s government by saying

“During the Obasanjo era, the Federal Government, in line with our constitution and revenue laws, set aside 13% of oil revenues to be paid as derivation funds to oil producing states and shared on the basis of proportion of oil they produce.

 As a person from the Niger Delta, I can say that the 13% derivation has benefitted Niger Delta states and their people more than the interventionist agencies. For example, those who knew Akwa Ibom state before the 13% derivation become law will agree that the derivation fund has changed the face of that state making it almost overnight one of the most developed states in Nigeria.”

And his Speech  also enlightened the world that if there is social inclusion, development is possible and militancy will be stamped out from the region of Niger Delta.