MWUN: Comrade Bunu Task Ijaw Nation on Sustainable Peace in Niger Delta to Attract Maritime Investments

By DAPO OLAWUNI

The President-General of the Maritime Workers Union (MWUN) Comrade Francis Bunu has called on the Governors of the various Niger Delta States, especially the Ijaw Nation to ensure sustainable peace in the region in order to attract maritime investments, and boost investors confidence.

Comrade Bunu stated this on Monday when he played host to the executives of the Ijaw National Congress (INC) Lagos chapter, led by its chairman, Chief Tonye Leonard Harry.

Comrade Bunu lamented that the INC has derailed from its main purpose of why it was established by the founding fathers, saying that the body has been highly politicised.

Speaking on security in the Niger Delta, the MWUN President-General said “If our creeks and environments are not safe for vessels to operate, there would be no job for Niger Deltans. The INC is supposed to carry this as a crusade to all the Niger Delta area.

“Today, where we are is Lagos, this is some people’s ancestral home, but it is the way it is today because they kept it safe, so why can’t we do the same in our area? How many companies do we have in Niger Delta? Because of the volatile nature, all the companies have ran away to Lagos.

“When you go to Lekki area, it is worse that Niger Delta because it is waterlogged, they are sand filling it and things are happening there now becauee there is peace, if a contractor is working there, there would not be gunshot or kidnappings there.

“The INC must take the baton to ensure that things that would be bring joy to the Niger Delta is prioritised. There must be security in the area, all the governors must work in synergy to ensure that investor confidence is restored in the region” he said

Speaking earlier, the Chairman INC Lagos, Chief Tonye Leonard Harry stated that the chapter comprises of Lagos, Ogun State and Oyo State.
According to him, every ijaw man living and doing business in these areas are under the INC.

“We coordinate their affairs and if there are issues, we provide succour.
We are happy today that one of our own, Comrade Francis Bunu is the President General of MWUN.

“We are here today not just because you are an Ijaw man, but we are here because the seat you are occupying is a very important seat that every Nigerian wants to relate with, the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria is a big name in the committee of unions all over the world.

“We have come to familiarise with you and let you know that there is Ijaw National Congress in Lagos where you reside and do your business” he said

Chief Harry intimated the MWUN PG on the recent INC congress which omprise of all financial members.
“The Congress gave us a four point agenda which we are carying about as a working responsibility. We are meeting with very important personalities from Ijaw nation who are residing in Lagos, of which we have identified you as one of them.

“One of the four point agenda is that so many of our Ijaw sons and daughters are currently incarcerated in police cell and prisons. We discussed this with our leaders and they gave us a duty to go and identify these people and find out the reasons why they are in these conditions. We have done that, we have the statistics, and they have now given us a matching order to start working towards releasing them from such conditions. We can only achieve this through the support of key stakeholders like you.

“Secondly, we have been given a task that most of our Ijaw young men and women are jobless, and they look at the maritime sector as a huge industry, and since you are here, we should find a way of engaging these unemployed youths.

“We have also seen in less than six months the overwhelming achievements you have recorded in less than six months of being in office, we are very happy with you” he said