The leadership of the Niger Delta Youth Council (NDYC) worldwide says it has withdrawn from the planned nationwide protests against hunger and bad governance organised by the Take It Back Movement.
The group cited the intervention of notable and prominent Niger Delta stakeholders following a meeting on Tuesday, the 30th of July 2024 in Port Harcourt which was convened by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to rally Niger Deltans against the purported protests.
The meeting paraded heavyweights in the region such as Mr Chiedu Ebie, Chairman NDDC, Dr Samuel Ugboku MD/CEO NDDC, Senator Goodwill Akpabio the Senate President, Chief Denis Otuaro, the Administrator Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) and Other stakeholders with youths across all ethnic nationalities in the region.
Also, the leadership of NDYC worldwide engaged with the Honourable Minister of State for Petroleum Heineken Lopkpobiri in Yenogoa, the Bayelsa State capital on the 31th of July in a meeting which was brokered by the President of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Sir Jonathan Lokpobiri where the Minister prevailed on the youths to refrain from taking up arms against the current administration as efforts are in top gear to address all genuine concerns of Nigerians.
In a press statement signed by Engr. Jator Abido, national coordinator, NDYC Worldwide, Comr Kede Michael, Comr and Amos Eze, Engr Beke Apere, and made available to journalists urged the government to urgently take decisive steps to fix the economy to ameliorate the hardship faced by citizens.
While stating that the NDYC worldwide, decided to succumb to the plea of the minister of petroleum and other stakeholders, the group maintained that all demands must be conveyed to the President.
“As a matter of national interest, we demand the minister of state for Petroleum to facilitate an interface unfailingly with the leadership of the NDYC worldwide as well as the Ijaw Youth Council for a sustainable dialogue with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to that will bring about lasting peace and tranquility in the region especially now that some misinformed Nigerians are hiding under the hunger and anger in the land to destabilise the current administration for their own selfish interests”.
The NDYC worldwide commended the President for prioritizing the development of the region with legacy projects and interventions in the region.
The release read in part, “it is with patriotic zeal that we, the youths of the Niger Delta under the NDYC worldwide have decided to pull out of the planned nationwide protest. It will be an act of insensitivity for us to protest despite the promises made by the minister, NDDC management and other stakeholders in the region. This is against the backdrop that the current administration is showing signs of commitment towards developing the region as seen in the speedy award and ongoing construction of the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway as well as recent efforts to complete the East-West road which was abandoned by previous administrations.
“Although there is hunger in the land and the cost of living has gone up due to successive decades of maladministration, the opening of land borders for food importation and the minimum wage which was promptly signed into law after its passage shows clearly that Mr President is determined to end the suffering of Nigerians”.
The release highlighted other notable projects of the Tinubu administration especially in the oil and gas sector which will benefit the Niger Delta region in tremendous ways and vowed to resist any attempt by unscrupulous elements to drag the region into unnecessary turmoil.
“We acknowledge our folly in even contemplating joining the strike in the first place. With the revamping of the two Port Harcourt Refineries and the Warri Petrochemical Company by the current administration, our region must not lose sight of the efforts by protesting against Mr. President. He deserves some patience as his policies are not only progressive but people oriented.
“With the issuance of an Executive Order mandating NNPCL to deliver crude oil to Dangote Refinery with payments in naira, Mr President has again shown a genuine concern for ending Nigeria’s energy crisis especially with the removal of fuel subsidy and its attendant consequences.
“Out region is therefore a no-go-area for misinformed and misled miscreants who deceived into setting the country on fire when we have yet forgotten the horrors of the EndSars protests. We will therefore resist any attempt by persons who are working at cross purposes with us and our region. We have faith in the current administration and we will continue to support the President to actualize his Renewed Hope Agenda for the country”, the release added.
