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Allocate oil blocks in North to Niger Delta people, fix East-West road – IYC tells FG
The leadership of Ijaw Youths Council, IYC, Worldwide has called on the Federal Government to allocate licences for oil blocks in the Northern parts of the country, Gombe, Bauchi, Nasarawa and Kogi to people from the Niger Delta.
The IYC President, Peter Timothy Igbifa, in a statement in Port Harcourt sent to News Men on Tuesday to mark the Workers’ Day said allocating oil blocks in the North to Niger Delta people would further enhance the unity, cooperation and economic integration in the country.
Igbifa said since most oil block licences in the Niger Delta are owned by northerners it will only be equitable, fair and just to allow Niger Delta people own and operate oil blocks in the North.
The IYC boss said since oil had been found in Gombe, Bauchi, Nasarawa and Kogi, Niger Delta people should be given oil blocks and given unfettered access to operate businesses of oil and gas in such northern states the same way the northerners were doing in the Niger Delta.
He said: “Since the discovery of oil in commercial quantity in the Niger Delta, Northerners have owned oil block licences and operated oil and gas businesses in the Niger Delta enriching themselves from the proceeds of these blocks and businesses.
“It gladdens our hearts that oil has been discovered in some states in the North. Explorations for more discoveries are also going on in the North.
“We are calling on the Federal Government to also allocate the oil blocks in the North to Niger Delta. This will ensure fair, just and equitable distributions of the country’s resources. It will also help to promote unity and economic integration in the country”.
Igbifa also expressed sadness over the non-completion of the East-West Road saying sufficient attention was not being paid to the most critical road in the region despite protests from different stakeholders in the Niger Delta.
He said the road would soon suffer another devastation following the looming flood, which he said would again make the road impassable and cause losses in businesses.
He said: “We are calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to declare a state of emergency on the East-West road and direct his Minister for Works, Babatunde Fashola, to aggressively fix the road without excuses the same way they handle issues concerning the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos.
“We have noticed that since the East-West road project file was transferred from the Ministry of the Niger Delta to that of Works, there has been an inexplicable delay in executing the project.
“While the road continues to be abandoned, similar projects in other parts of the country like the regular costly Maintenance Works on the Third Mainland Bridge are being pursued with speed. We are calling on President Buhari to fix the East-West road before bowing out of office”.
Igbifa commended President Buhari for the 40 per cent increase in federal workers’ salaries but called on him, governors and other employers of labour to ensure improved welfare for workers.
He appreciated the contributions of workers in all fields especially those from the Ijaw ethnic extraction to the progress and development of the country and asked them not to bow to challenges inherent in their work environment.
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, says the FCT Administration has begun the procurement processes for drones to boost the security architecture of the territory.
Wike disclosed this when the Consul-General of the Embassy of Hungary in Nigeria, Mr Endre Deri visited him in Abuja on Thursday.
The minister, while responding to the consul-general comments on the need for drones, said, “whether we want some drones? Yes, there is no going back”.
He promised to discuss with the security experts, to consider a conversation with Deri on the type of drones that would be effective and efficient work based on the terrain of FCT.
He said that security was part of President Bola Tinubu’s priority in his “Renewed Hope” agenda.
The minister said that the security interventions in the FCT were already yielding results, stressing that the incidents of insecurity had drastically reduced.
“You too can attest to the fact that Abuja is safer now, because of the way we have been able to tackle the issue,” he added.
On agriculture, Wike said that the FCTA was open to collaborate with Hungry through Public-Private Partnership (PPP), adding that the administration was willing to provide the needed land.
“The issue of agriculture is very key, and I know your country is doing well in agriculture.
“We can collaborate and partner in terms of PPP. We are willing to provide land, if you can reach those concerns we can start the process.
“Let us also know what they intend to produce in order to address the issue of food insecurity in FCT.
Earlier, Deri expressed the willingness of Hungry to partner with FCTA to improve security in the territory.
The consul general, who commended the minister for improving the security situation in the FCT, expressed the willingness of his country to support the FCT with the latest drone technology.
“We are also interested in partnering with the FCTA in the areas of agriculture to boost food security and food safety for residents of the FCT,” he added.
The Ogun House of Assembly on Thursday passed a resolution seeking for the urgent clampdown on the activities of cultists in the state.
Mr Bisi Oyedele (APC-Ipokia/Idiroko), the sponsor of the resolution, said during plenary in Abeokuta that there was also an urgent need for Gov. Dapo Abiodun to appoint a commissioner for youths in the state.
Oyedele noted that the incessant cult killings in some parts of the state, especially Abeokuta, which had started over six weeks ago needed to be addressed as soon as possible.
The lawmaker alleged that no fewer than 10 individuals had lost their lives to cult-related violence within the last 42 days.
He stated that the rate at which lives were being lost in the state capital remained worrisome and baffling.
“Recent incidents include the shooting in broad daylight of five individuals at different locations within Abeokuta.
” Also worrisome is the continuous killings among young people across the state, which is adversely affecting businesses and tarnishing the reputation of our dear state,” he said.
Oyedele stressed that there was need for urgent intervention from both security operatives and the state government to address the escalating violence in other parts of the state.
He said that the anti-cultism section of the State Police Command must enhance intelligence gathering and take proactive measures to curb the reoccurring menace across the state.
“There is an urgent need for the governor to appoint a commissioner for youths, who will be saddled with the responsibility of providing productive initiatives for young people.
“He will also have to promote continuous engagements across the state, and drive youth-related policies and programme in the State Executive Council.
“Government should focus on continuous human capital development through job facilitation and enhance the skills of youths across the state.
“We call on the government to prioritise the aforementioned initiatives, as the time to address the root causes of social unrest and provide sustainable solutions for the youth population is now,” he said.
Other members who spoke on the resolution called on security agencies, especially the police, to do more to put an end to the issue of cultism in the state.
They called for effective youth engagements, while also calling on residents to always provide information to the police.
The Speaker, Oludaisi Elemide (APC-Odeda), implored everyone, government and parents, to be up and doing and also report suspicious moves within their environment.
The Majority Leader, Yusuf Serif (APC-Ado Odo Ota 1), moved the motion for the passage of the resolution, seconded by the Minority Leader, Lukman Adeleye (PDP-Odogbolu).
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