By Felix Jeremiah
Mr. Levi Wilson is the Chairman Southern Ijaw Local Government Area Oil and Gas Task Force in Bayelsa State, a pragmatic Oil and Gas committee established by the Executive Chairman Southern Ijaw Local Government Council, Hon. (Dr) P N Ogbe, a resourceful Local Government Administrator per Excellence, who has been awarded several titles of good governance within and outside the state. Mr. Wilson bares is mind to our correspondent, Felix Jeremiah, on several issues, especially, highlighting the developmental strides of the Oil and Gas committee in the Local Government, which have reduced the rate of unemployment and the death rate as a result of the activities of Local Refineries, pipelines vandalism, and other issues. Excerpts;
As a Security Administrator In Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, Sir, Can You Tell Us Why The Oil and Gas Task Force Came Into Existence?
The Oil and Gas Task Force in Southern Ijaw Local Government is the product of good governance of Chief (Hon) Dr. Remember P.N Ogbe, the Executive Chairman of Southern Ijaw Local Government Council and also the great Restoration government, ably lead by the Executive Governor of Bayelsa state, Hon. Henry Serake Dickson. The Oil and Gas Task Force is the product of the duo, they are over Nine Hundred capable personalities that are so conversant with the environment, for one to be able to employed this great number, the chairman of the council has actively reduced the rate of Un-employment to certain percentage in the Local Government and Bayelsa State in general. A lot of Bayelsans have benefited from Governor Serake Dickson’s scholarship scheme and several other people oriented programmes, such as construction of new school buildings, economic empowerment, Health, Agriculture sector, Road constructions, among others.
About four or five years ago, I am from Koluama community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, when you want to travel from Yenagoa to Koluama, you have to travel in a speed boat for three hours plus before getting to Koluama, but because of the Restoration Agenda, the governor has constructed a link road from Yenagoa to Ayama, that has made the transportation system easy, the projects are so many that are touching the lives of the people directly. The Governor’s developmental strides has convinced us to enable us to pass a vote of confidence on Governor Dickson and President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, by the people of Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, in the Just concluded rally at Oporoma, the Headquarters of Southern Ijaw Local Government Area.
You are a security expert of greatness, what is your view of the ravaging Islamic sect, Boko Haram, especially in the North, There are several agitations that their Leader Shekarau has been killed, what
measures or tactics is applicable to be used to curtail or eliminate their up shoot in Nigeria?
I would like to use this medium to advice the Federal Government for peaceful negotiation, “we cannot go by violence”, because we really believe that the Nigerian Government can influence all machinery to track the Boko Haram down. But despite the efforts of the security operatives, the situation of Boko Haram is still on, killing of innocent souls and so on. I will like to suggest that, the federal government should use all constructive means, gather their leaders in a peaceful negotiation, let us know what they need, the reasons for their agitation, so that we can arrived conclusively for the well being of Nigerians.
In your task force you are controlling over Nine Hundred youths in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. What message do you have for the youths in your task force and youths in Nigerians generally?
We have seen the developmental strides of the president in the midst of all these killings, development is simultaneously going on steadily and people are still living peacefully. It is only the North, especially the North-East that is so threaten and some parts in Nigeria. I strongly believe very soon the Boko Haram saga will be a thing of the past, investors are coming into the country to invest; the country economy is highly boosted. I appeal to Bayelsa youths and Nigeria in general to always sue for peaceful way of settlement, support the Governor and the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. While commending the youths for their cooperation, unity, peace and love in meeting the aims and objectives of the oil and gas tasks force in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, the establishment of the tasks force have saved several lives, especially the illegal refineries that were so rampart in the Local government have been controlled. Several souls have been killed in this nefarious quick-way of getting quick-money syndrome. Vandalism of pipelines has been a thing of the past in Southern Ijaw Local Government as the task force is making frantic effort to see that culprits are arrested and brought
to book. I will urge youths in Bayelsa and Nigeria to imbibe the culture of peace. They should abstain from violence during 2015 general elections. No youth should also involve in thuggery to destroy other souls. I commend the executive chairman of southern ijaw local government council and the amiable Governor for their developmental strides.
