The leaders of Niger Delta Ethnic Nationalities Youth Forum ( NDENYF) on Thursday in Abuja passed vote of confidence on President Muhammadu Buhari and Minister, Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, for their commitments to the peace and development of the region.
The group, made up of all ethnic nationalities across the nine states of the Niger Delta Region, stated this while on a courtesy visit to the office of the minister.
In a communique read on behalf of the youth group by its National President, Terry Obieh, the group said “we acknowledge the commitment of the president in continuing with the amnesty programme; the ongoing works on the East-West road which we hope will be completed in 2022 and hereby pass a vote of confidence on the president and the minister for their development strides in the region, since they came on board.
“We commend the Minister, Niger Delta Affairs on the efforts of his ministry in fixing the failed section at Mkpolu which had claimed lives and obstructed commercial activities in the area. This is a major drainage channel which today, has saved lives of the residents.”
The group thanked the current leadership of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) for embarking on the completion of abandoned projects in the region.
“We applaud the new focus of the NDDC which is aimed at completing abandoned projects; some dating back to 14 years ago, and some which started during days of the OMPADEC, such as the completion and commissioning of the 14-storey NDDC headquarters complex, the recent commissioning of the SPU Quarters for the Nigeria Police and completion of over 77 roads in the region by the NDDC without awarding any new contract are commendable,” iy said.
The communique noted the efforts of the President Buhari-led administration towards the Ogoni clean-up, stressing that they commend the president on the Ogoni clean-up, while urging him to extend the exercise to other parts of the Niger Delta.
“We appreciate the efforts of the minister in ensuring the provision of electricity in Ondo South with a 132KVA substation, started by the NDDC over 12 years ago. We equally applaud the completion of the 1000-bed hostel accommodation which will soon be commissioned at the University of Uyo by the NDDC. We urge the NDDC to look into the one at Niger Delta University.”
The Niger Delta Youths did not end their visit without placing some demands on President Buhari through the Niger Delta Affairs Minister, saying, “with the completion of the Skill Acquisition Centres by the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, we call on the NDDC and the Ministry to initiate empowerment programmes for Youths and take them off the streets, noting, with the upcoming Christmas celebrations, the Youths have asked us to inform the minister and the NDDC to initiate programmes that will empower them for a peaceful celebration.”
The group declared its support for the recently concluded forensic audit exercise into the activities of the NDDC, adding that “we support the Forensic Audit exercise and we urge the president to make the report public inorder to expose the offenders and recover monies looted from the NDDC for further development of the region, adding, we join other voices across the region and the country to call for the constitution of the NDDC board with terms of reference.”
Earlier in his welcome remarks, Akpabio thanked the youths for the visit which he described as a welcome development.
According to him, “instead of having divided voices in the region, the youth leaders have today decided to come together as one. This unity would have not have come at a better time than now. A period where President Muhammadu Buhari is doing a lot for the region.”
“A period where the forensic audit has exposed over 14 thousand abandoned projects scattered allover the region. This exposure shows that the incoming board of the NDDC will have to continue and complete those projects for the people to own and use them. The current government will leave behind an NDDC with new terms of reference.
“This is a period of new focus for the empowerment of the people of the region and their development. A period when Niger Delta Youths are more focused than others which has made the region to be known as the most peaceful in the country, ” Akpabio stressed.
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