N/Delta Youths To Lock Down NDDC From Tuesday Over New Board Inauguration
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Youths from the Niger Delta, under the aegis of the South South Youths Initiative are getting set for what may turn out to be a prolonged protest at the NDDC, as they continue to press for the inauguration of a new board for the commission.
The youths had issued a 14-day ultimatum to the federal government to ensure that the commission got a substantive board. The deadline has expired without any action from the government.
Leader of the group, Imeabe Saviour Oscar told TNN over the telephone on Saturday that thousands of youths have already been mobilised to take over the NDDC corporate headquarters from Tuesday next week. He said the youths would not vacate the commission’s office until the board is inaugurated. In fact, he said what the federal government needed to do was to inaugurate the board members that were screened and confirmed by the senate sometime in December 2019.
In a statement to announce their readiness for the protest, the Ogoni activist said “the leadership of South South Youths Initiative, SSYI, wishes to use this opportunity to state unequivocally that we are not relenting on our proposed plan to stage a protest against the federal government on its failure to constitute a substantive board for the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, as this has been a source of concern to the people of the oil rich Niger Delta.
“The continuous delay in this regard to us means a total neglect to the outcry of the people of the region, who have often demanded that the commission give attention to the development of the region, which is its core mandate.
“But, we are worried that while the youths of Niger Delta are making arrangements to hold the peaceful rally to drive down their demand, that the leadership of the NDDC were sending us treats that the peaceful move would be thwarted.
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“We have gathered that the NDDC is already recruiting some thugs to disrupt the peaceful move of the youths of the region. This is barbaric and uncalled for. We would want to remind them that our youths are resilient and fearless and no form of threat will stop us.
“We must use this opportunity to inform the NDDC that we the youths of this region are not deterred by their antics to emasculate and shut us up. This protest must go on as we have planned it.
“However, we are calling on the Federal Government, the Rivers State Government, the Director DSS, the Inspector-General of Police to be aware that the NDDC is on the move to ignite crisis in the region. We have avowed that we will remains peaceful in our demands, but we will not want to be pushed to wall.
“We also call on youths of the region to come out en masse for this move to restore legitimacy on the NDDC. We further encourage the over 2000 youths that will be taking part in this protest to conduct yourselves peacefully.”
