Douglas Blessing, Port Harcourt
A group under the aegis of Niger Delta Rights Advocates (NDRA) has urged the Minister for Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo to justify the clamour and demand for greater inclusion of youths in the mainstream of Nigerian politics.
The group led by its Coordinator, Bright Ngolo, at a briefing in Port Harcourt, urged Tunji-Ojo to re-enact his stellar performance as a representative of his people, especially the reform he introduced to the style of doing business in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) when he Chaired the House of Representatives Committee on NDDC.
On the new ministers, Ngolo appealed to “President Bola Tinubu, to consider for appointment an individual with the requisite understanding of the nuances of the youth constituency, coupled with experience to liaise and coordinate the diverse blocs/interest groups of this unique constituency like the APC youth leaders, NANS, NYCN”.
Aside the Minister of Interior, Ngolo regretted that “the recent appointment of Ministers of the Niger Delta region across the nine (9) states was centered around recycled politicians from the region”.
Ngolo further appealed that “a former Students Union President of ABU Zaria, former Chairman of NANS Convention Committee, former Secretary of the disbanded Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council in Taraba state who also served as Coordinator of all NGO Support Groups for Tinubu/Shettima 2023 in Taraba state; a former aspirant to the National Secretary position of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Nigeria, Barrister Mustapha Bello Mohammed, be considered for this position of Minister for Youth of the Federal Republic”.
To the new Minister of Niger Delta, the group urged that he should focus on a single point agenda of “Completing the Sections of the East-West Road”.
They also demanded the President to set up presidential monitoring committee to monitor the management of NDDC as involves funds and implementation of projects.
“We demand an accountability and performance by the Niger Delta Development Commission be strengthened by the Federal Government under President Bola Tinubu through activating Part 6 Section 21 of the Establishment Act 2000 by appointing a Presidential Monitoring Committee for the NDDC to monitor the management of funds, implementation of projects and have unhindered access to the record books of the Commission and reporting to the President regularly”.
