Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has advised traditional rulers to take charge of their domains and ensure that they make life difficult for mis-guided youths involved in acts of economic sabotage.
Governor Fubara gave the charge while declaring open the 117th/118th Combined Quarterly General Meeting of the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers at their Secretariat in Port Harcourt on Monday.
The governor maintained that the fight against oil theft and pipeline vandalism should not be left in the hands of the government alone, noting that the activities of oil thieves are inimical to the economy of the nation.
He said: "I want to see a different society from this hour. The federal government is doing everything to see that our crude oil production level increases. But every day, we are having issues of illegal bunkering and pipeline vandalization and all the associated problems.
"All these people that are carrying out these evil acts, they're not coming from the moon, they live in our communities, we know them. I am charging this council, as a first step, to take charge of your communities.
"If there is any information that you need to share with us, share with us. In the overall, we need our country to progress. We need our country to be stable. We need our country to grow economically. It is through only one means: our oil production."
Fubara insisted that "We are charging you, to please go back and take charge of your communities. I assure you of our support. If there is anything that we need to do, if it means the government sending you some little support financially to create your own vigilante to help, we will do it."
The governor expressed delight and gratitude to God that the council still exists despite the protracted political travail confronting the state and his administration.
He explained that what he is doing is devoid of politics but a performance of the statutory duty of government, especially in the appointment of a new chairman to steer the affairs of the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers.
He said, "There is nothing new that has happened. The immediate past chairman served out his tenure, and the tenure is usually a one-year duration.
"It is at the discretion of the Governor to extend such tenure. I believe, from my own assessment, there was no reason to extend it, but rather to bring in fresh blood that can bring the council together.
"And what we did, we did in good faith because our communities, our people, are important to us. I want to commend the chairman who is barely three months in office to have been able to put this meeting together; it shows leadership."
Governor Fubara said this is the first time after the appointment of Eze Chike Worlu Wodo that he will be addressing the council, and charged the new chairman, who understands the current situation, to lead the council aright.
He said, "I want you to lead this council with the fear of God. I want you to lead this council with the understanding that you are dealing with independent people and feeding their own families.
"So, you need to have a spirit and heart of accommodation and tolerate them. Make your point very straight when you talk to them. I strongly believe that they are mature enough to give you the required support."
The Rivers helmsman said he has been furnished with a comprehensive list of names of all traditional rulers of First Class, Second Class, and Third Class totaling over 150.
In his address, the Chairman of Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers, Eze Chike Worlu Wodo, thank the governor for maintaining peace in the state in the face of the unwarranted political crisis.
Eze Wodo, who is the Paramount Ruler of Apara Kingdom in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the state, urged the governor not to fall into the traps of detractors by confronting their violence with violence, which he noted, will only serve their selfish interest.
