A coalition of Niger Delta youth groups on Tuesday applauded
the pedigree of cabinet members from the region and urged the Federal
Government to leverage on their competence to develop the area.
The groups under the auspices of Niger Delta Youth
Coalition for Peace and Progress (NDYPP) commended President Muhamadu Buhari
for appointing credible and tested leaders from Niger Delta to drive his development
plans.
A statement signed by President of NDYCPP Pastor Olayinka
Tiedor noted that the selection of competent hands was an indication of genuine
intentions by the Federal Government for the Niger Delta.
“Niger Delta Youth Coalitionfor
Peace and Progress thanks President MuhammaduBuhari, GCFR, for the appointment
of well-grounded, distinguished sons of the Niger Delta, to his cabinet.
“These appointees are
well-known high achievers, whose appointment brought about wide-spread jubilant
excitement across party-divide on the length and breadth of the Niger Delta.
“Chief Sylva, Minister of
state, Petroleum Resources, is remembered for midwifing the Amnesty programme which
restored peace to the once restive region and as a Minister is better
positioned to drive progress in the oil and gas space.
“With Senator Godswill Akpabio
in charge of Niger Delta Ministry, he will reenact infrastructural revolution
that marked his tenure as Governor of Akwa Ibom being supported by Festus
Keyamo, another patriot with passion for Niger Delta development.
“Also Rotimi Amaechi, well-loved
by the youths of the Niger Delta, has made giant strides in the infrastructural
rebirth of the once moribund Railways resulting to his reappointment to drive
the policy on revitalizing the rail system to a logical conclusion,” NDYCPP
stated.
The coalition pledged to
collaborate with the Ministers to ensure that they were given a conducive
environment to develop the region and appealed the Sylva to lead the way.
“Sylva should quickly
convene a strategic youth stakeholder’s policy-dialogue to point the direction
of Government clearly and assertively so that everyone would queue behind him
to achieve set targets.
“Sylva has earned the
respect of Niger Delta youths because he has manifest passion for their well-being
and he can tackle youth involvement in vandalism of pipelines and other violent
acts, disrupting the operations of oil companies in the Niger Delta.
“The dialogue can come up
with clear policies and programmes that would stamp out violent behaviour from
the creeks of the Niger Delta, by providing alternative legitimate means of
livelihood for the people.
“Although he is stil early,
this is an auspicious time for him to engage the people to feel their pulse and
tap from their pool of suggestions that could even turn things around for the
good of all,” the youth group said.
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