Nigerians are hungry, Niger Delta group tells Buhari

The Niger Delta group, Urhobo Monitoring and Development Group (UMDG), has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to revamp the economy, saying “Nigerians are hungry”.

Addressing journalists in Warri, Delta state, on Saturday, Kingsley Oberuruaria, UMDG President, said hunger knows no political or religious affiliation.

He advised the government not to concentrate its full attention on the anti-graft war, while the economy take a downward slide.

“Fighting corruption is good but the revival of the economy needs greater attention in this present time,” he said.

“The average Nigerian can barely afford a meal in the present circumstances. The truth is that Nigerians are hungry and you don’t need a soothsayer to know.”

Oberuruaria also alleged that the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led federal government has neglected the Niger Delta region.

He said the upsurge of militancy in the region should not be an excuse for the poor standard of living of those in the Niger Delta.

“We observed that the government diversification is mainly concentrated in the north, nothing so far in the south especially oil-rich Niger Delta,” he said.

“The renewed militancy should not be excused for our exclusion. We have not heard anything about the revival of Delta Steel Company Aladja since President Buhari took over. Government needs to support the full take off of EPZ Ogidigbe. All these should be the palliatives to appeals the people of the region.”