…We urge President Buhari to give us NDDC board as new year gift
The South South Youths Initiative, SSYI, following the outcome of our last meeting in 2021, has resolved that issues concerning justice for Niger Delta, and the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, will remain our topmost priority, and as such vowed that we would persist in our quest for justice.
In 2021, we commenced a protest to ensure that the right thing is done in NDDC, that is, the constitution of the Substantive Board of NDDC, which has long overdue. For a long time, the Commission has been manned by a structure that is not known to law and this has adversely affected the vision of the founding fathers of NDDC.
It appears that the week long peaceful protest we organised, our concerns were not addressed by neither the Management of NDDC nor the Federal Government. We perceive this as a proof of the neglect that the people have continued to suffer under the federal government.
Furthermore, we made efforts and moved this very procession to Abuja after it appeared that all we were doing in Port Harcourt was not getting the needed attention. But, we regret that till date the federal government has remained adamant to our calls.
However, we urge President Muhammadu Buhari, to immediately constitute Niger Delta a Substantive Board of NDDC as the New Year gift for the people. This will help sustain the confidence the people have reposed on his administration. Our desire is that the federal government should have the same understanding with the Niger Delta leaders.
Meanwhile, we bemoan and condemn some leaders of Niger Delta region, who have compromised their stand of ensuring justice for the region. Years past, we had had leaders of the region who had shown zeal in the struggle for economic emancipation of the region. The same persons have today gone cold, with less or no contribution to the situation that the region has found itself.
As members of South-South Youths Initiative, we are resolute to ensure that there is development in the region. Even if all leaders and groups in the region compromise, we remain committed to our struggle.
The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, thinks that he has bought the minds of these leaders who actually has failed us. But, Niger Delta will remain united and tall in this trying time.
In January, we are going to hold mother of all protest in Abuja. We are going to ensure that the Minister of Niger Delta, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, is served with the meal he deserves.
We know that the delay in constituting the NDDC board is to make this process drag into 2022, when every attention would be on 2023 politics. By this time every attention would not be on this board again. This many tarry till the end of 2022 because the President may not have the time.
Having this in mind we are insisting that the right thing should be done by January, else we are storming Abuja for mother of all protest. We are going to storm Abuja with 10 caskets. We are going to ground activities at the Niger Delta Affairs Ministry.
Sign
Comrade Imeabe Saviour Oscar
National President SSYI
