Irate youths in the Niger Delta region have issued the Governor of Rivers state, Nyesom Wike a seven-day ultimatum to reopen the Niger Delta Development Commission office along Aba Road, in Port Harcourt.
According to Dailypost, the aggrieved youths, drawn from nine states of the oil-rich region demanded that Governor Wike should reopen the commission’s office within the period of the ultimatum or face stiff and sustainable protests.
The youths under the aegis of Consolidated Youths of Niger Delta, CYN, led by its National Coordinator, Comrade Frank Naday made their position known while addressing newsmen after their emergency meeting on Thursday in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom state. Naday said the office was sealed last week by the River state government over alleged non-remittances of revenue.
“From our findings and the information made available to us, it is clear that the Commission has paid the backlogs of revenues it owes the Rivers State Government. We want to ask Rivers State Government to as a matter of urgency, unseal the Commission’s office complex to enable workers gain access to their various offices.
“Niger Delta Development Commission is bigger than Rivers State because it covers the Niger Delta region and not Rivers alone. We are aware that Rivers State Government is trying so hard to play Politics with the Commission because the system feels threatened that Prof Nelson Brambaifa-led administration at NDDC is doing tremendously well.
“In a couple of months that the new leaders assumed office, they have been able to pay contractors and return them back to sites, they have addressed the problem of water hyacinths too. It is also on record that the students studying abroad in various Universities in United Kingdom, have received their stipends and their schools have also been taken care of by the Commission.
“The rate of construction in Niger Delta region is really on the increase as almost all the states in the region are experiencing massive road construction. We condemn the actions of Rivers state government in its entirety. We urge the State Government to leave NDDC alone because shutting the office down, is doing more harm than good
“Imagine where thousands of youth that are employed by the various contractors are shut out because of the shutdown of the Commission. It will lead them to various criminal activities in order to make earns meet.”