Children struggling in a heavy flood on their way to school
By Carl Umegboro
THESE children are going to school to become leaders of tomorrow in the Niger-Delta region that has Niger-Delta Development Commission (NDDC), an agency established by government following agitations over marginalization.
The political leaders all have their children in expensive private schools in the country and some in foreign schools with tuition in Pounds and Dollars but leaving the poor children to their fate. By this extreme neglect and wicked acts, the political leaders’ message or body language is clear; ‘Children, you are on your own’.
The floods have become a regular occurrence for ages but the political leaders rather placed premium value on diversion, sharing of public funds to themselves and private accounts, and living in luxury at the expense of the masses comfort, thereby leaving them in pitiable situations.
During campaigns, the fathers of the oppressed children still carry their campaigns on their head for peanuts and promises to add value when elected. What an inhumanity to fellow man!
NDDC was set up essentially to improve the lives of the people, and interestingly, the agency is managed by the Niger-Deltans from the topmost position to clerks.
For once, NDDC has never been deprived or gone short of funds, and not just peanuts but megabucks on yearly budgets. The question begging for answers is; what do the political leaders do with the allocations over the years?
The corruption in NDDC is a reflection of what goes on in all sectors of the economy. Hence, the rot is not peculiar to the agency. It spreads across the system. The masses have continued to be exploited by the leadership class for ages.
What a people! What a country! What a generation of selfish, heartless and greedy leaders! May God avenge the impoverished citizens of the Niger-Delta and Nigeria at large.