Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria – By Oladipo Airenakho
A non-political, non-violent network of organizations committed to sustainable development of the Niger Delta has urged Nigeria’s President-elect, retired Major-General Muhammadu Buhari, to as a matter of urgency explore useful means to positively engage unemployed non-violent youths in the Niger Delta region.
Reverend David Ugolor, the convener of the Alliance made the call while releasing a communiqué at the end of a media event organized in Benin City, Edo state by the organization on Moday.
He said there was a large pool of Niger Delta youths who have acquired useful technical skills and academic qualifications but were unemployed.
He said a situation where a resort to violence by some youths in the region was rewarded with employment by government did not speak well for the country, given the fact that there were millions of unemployed peaceful youths all over the region.
In addressing the issue of the Niger Delta, the alliance believed that it would be proper that a holistic review of structures, administrative make-up and funding of both the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs and the Niger Delta Development Commission [NDDC] be undertaken by the in-coming administration.
“This is will enable these organs of government improve on their service delivery for sustainable growth in the region,” the members of the alliance said in their communiqué.
The Alliance also urged the in-coming civilian administration of President Muhammadu Buhari not only to take steps to arrest cases of impunity of politicians, but also constitute an all-inclusive mechanism for dialogue on key policies in the region.
It called on the President-elect to discourage the use of individuals and such other methods of funding projects and developmental projects in the Niger Delta, but rather should channel all development funding through established institutions like the NDDC, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs and state governments, amongst others.
