The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, and the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, called on the youths and people of the Niger Delta to refrain from participating in the planned August 1 anti-government protest.
They made the call during the flag-off of a Youth Internship Scheme initiated by the NDDC for 10,000 youths of the Niger Delta region.
Akpabio assured the region that the proposed nationwide protests by some youths would not take place in the nine states of the Niger Delta, deeming the region as a protest-free zone.
He also provided details of the Youth Internship Scheme, stating that the 10,000 youths would be engaged in a program designed to improve their skills, with beneficiaries in the first phase receiving a monthly payment of N50,000.
Akpabio highlighted President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to the development of the Niger Delta region and noted that the NDDC recently inaugurated five flagship projects covering roads, bridges, and electricity across the region.
He praised the NDDC for its efforts in restoring some damaged sections of the East-West Road and mentioned that, despite the challenges, the NDDC had executed several projects that had improved the lives of the people.
He also promised that the commission would receive its full share of statutory allocations going forward. The Chairman of the NDDC Governing Board, Mr. Chiedu Ebie, pledged the commission’s commitment to focus on completing capital projects that would add value to the Niger Delta region.
He reiterated the commission’s dedication to transforming the region in accordance with the eight-point presidential priorities and the demands of the NDDC Act of 2000. He thanked the National Assembly for passing the 2024 budget of the commission, which would facilitate the implementation of projects and programs benefitting the people of the Niger Delta region.
The NDDC Managing Director, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, reflected on the transition of the people of the Niger Delta from militant agitation to intellectual struggle, hinting that the region was now reaping the benefits of these struggles.
Ogbuku explained that the Project HOPE had helped the commission develop a comprehensive digital repository, including important information about the youths of the Niger Delta region.
He mentioned that the NDDC was working with the Niger Delta Chamber of Commerce to train youths and young entrepreneurs, with the goal of supporting Small and Medium Enterprises and ensuring the sustainability of youth development programs.
Ogbuku urged Niger Deltans not to be lured into any protest that would destabilize the country, as such actions were bound to hinder development and further impoverish the ordinary people.
In his goodwill message, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, emphasized that progress could only be achieved through unity and peace.
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