‘We are resuming protest to demand susbtantive board for NDDC’ – Niger Delta Youths tell Akpabio

Youths from the South-South have notified the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, of their intentions to resume their suspended protest to demand a substantive board for the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

The youths, under the auspices of the South-South Youths Initiative (SSYI), in August occupied the headquarters of NDDC in Port Harcourt for a week.

Their protest made the Sole Administrator of the commission, Effiong Akwa, so uncomfortable that he sneaked out of his office.

The youths later suspended their protest following the intervention of the Commissioner of Police, Friday Eboka, but vowed to return if the Federal Government failed to inaugurate the board.

In a letter addressed to Akpabio, the National President, SSYI, Saviour Oscar and the National Secretary-General of the group, Nyakno Otu, said it was regrettable that the government had refused to inaugurate the board.

The youths said: “It is regrettable that till date the government has not deemed it necessary to act. This we see as neglect on the dignity of the region.

“As a body ready to ensure that our region gets a fair deal, we are resolute to sustaining the action against the Niger Delta Development Commission, until our demands are met.We are not asking for much, we are only requesting that the right thing be done in the NDDC.

“We are not happy that the agency is still being run contrary to the Act establishing NDDC. This has caused a lot of setbacks to
the region. An unconstitutional administration can never be right in the sight of law, that is the reason we are insisting that a substantive board be immediately constituted.

“We are urging you, the Honourable Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, to task President Muhammadu Buhari to hear us out. We are calling on President Muhammadu Buhari, who promised that issues affecting the people of Niger Delta would top his priority to act now and constitute a board for the commission.

“We are giving one month for the Federal Government to act and set up the board of NDDC. If this is not achieved within the period, Youths of Niger Delta will resume and shot done the facility until our demands are met”.