The South South Democratic Movement (SSDM) has issued a strong warning to the Federal Government, International Oil Companies (IOCs), and other stakeholders to stop treating the Niger Delta region as a “colony of resource extraction.”
The SSDM noted that despite being the economic powerhouse of Nigeria through its rich oil and gas resources, the Niger Delta continues to be denied equitable political representation, sustainable development, and environmental justice.
The group lamented that decisions are constantly made without consulting those who bear the brunt of extraction and exploitation.
In a communiqué issued after a high-level strategy meeting in Port Harcourt, the SSDM demanded an immediate end to the systematic marginalization, political exclusion, and environmental injustice that has plagued the region for decades.
In the statement signed by Dr. Francis David Matthew, National Publicity Secretary of SSDM, the group declared that the region will no longer accept marginalization and exclusion.
“We are not protesting — we are asserting,” Dr. Matthew said. “The South South will no longer accept crumbs or silence while our land is stripped and our youth sidelined. The time of the unchecked dominance is over. The time for checks and balances has come.”
The SSDM, however, outlined its standpoint and action plan, which includes mobilizing, picketing, and lawfully confronting any organization or institution that suppresses or ignores the interests of the region. The group also vowed to engage constructively but without fear or political compromise.
The SSDM’s demands include local inclusion, community development, environmental responsibility, and political fairness. The group warned that failure to meet these demands will result in “unified regional resistance.”
The group reaffirmed its commitment to building a Niger Delta region that is politically relevant, economically empowered, and socially respected. The group’s slogan, “One People. One Voice. One Purpose,” reflects its determination to unite and take responsibility for the region’s destiny.
“We will no longer wait for permission to exist — we are here to lead,” Dr. Matthew declared, calling on every true son and daughter of the Niger Delta to rise, unite, and demand justice and equity for the region.
