The Minister, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Peter Orubebe has advised Niger Delta Youths to adopt peaceful means in registering their grievances with government whenever they feel aggrieved with government policies. He stressed that no development can take place in an atmosphere of rancour and chaos.
Orubebe made this remark when members of the Niger Delta Youth Movement (NDYM), which cuts across the nine Niger Delta States led by its President, Ajulisan Akumagba paid him a courtesy visit 19th September, 2013 in his office.
The Minister who was visibly glad with the group urged them to be focussed in their vision and should always demonstrate good character in their chosen field of endeavours. "The gathering of these young professionals to see me, my colleague and the Management of the Ministry is highly encouraging. No one can regard them as hooligans. I salute your vision for assembling reasonable and formidable group of this nature, I am quite impressed. I enjoin you to be good examples of Niger Delta youths", he enthused.
Elder Godsday Orubebe stated that his Ministry will partner, collaborate and support the group on any matter that will lead to peaceful co-existence of the people of Niger Delta. He urged them to shun violent means of achieving reasonable demands, instead, they should support the collaborative developmental efforts of the Ministry to move the Niger Delta forward.
Orubebe further said that to achieve peace for development, requires commitment and strategic planning. He urged the group to sensitise and orientate other youth groups in the region to embrace peace and stop unwholesome attitude of not allowing contractors to work on the Ministry's projects particularly, the East-West road. He cautioned that they should always allow contractors to work in order to complete the Ministry's project on schedule.
The Minister reiterated the need for the group to develop a frame work that will capture various programmes and activities of interest where the youths can participate and be meaningfully engaged. He urged them to submit the document to the technical department of the Ministry for consideration and possible adoption. The Minister emphatically told the group that this would help in no small measure in diversifying their interests rather than over dependence on crude oil from the region. He noted that other countries of the world are now developing other sources of energy and if the teaming youths of the Niger Delta must be relevant in the new order, they must take this measure very seriously.
To achieve long lasting peace, the Minister hinted that, the group should take security issues very seriously and must embark on seminars, town hall meetings and heart-to-heart discussions with various communities and stakeholders in the Niger Delta region. He disclosed that in continuation of the Ministry's youth empowerment programme, the Ministry has concluded arrangements to train about 500 Niger Delta Youth on ICT related programme using some of the Skill Acquisition Centres being built in each of the nine States of the Niger Delta region as training centres. He informed the group that Mr President's transformation agenda is working, stressing that the transformation is visible in the Aviation, Road, Rail and Power sectors of the economy. He charged them to continue to support Mr President to succeed.
While speaking earlier, the President of the youth group, AjalisanAkumagba expressed the unquantifiable joy and appreciation of the group for having the Minister, who is a son of the soil as the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs.
He highlighted some of the achievements of the group since inception to include: the creation of Directorate of Youth, Sports, Culture and Women Affairs in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Niger Delta cup football competition tagged "Niger Delta U-20 football Championship", reconciliation of the warring Ijaw and Itsekiri youths who were engaged in ethnic war in 2001 amongst others.
The Youth Leader noted that to effectively achieve the mandate of the group, the Ministry should collaborate with them in such areas as empowerment programme for non-violent youths in the Niger Delta region, general empowerment for the group, integration of entrepreneurial skills in the Skills acquisition programme of the Ministry amongst others.
Source: Peace, Imperative for Niger Delta Development says Orubebe. (http://fmi.gov.ng/latest/30527/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=peace-imperative-for-niger-delta-development-says-orubebe)
Federal Ministry of Information (FMI) Nigeria
There is nothing that can be compared to 'Peace' when it comes to developement.
All this wars is something we should not engage in!