We Need New Approach to Tackle Noncompliance of Federal Government: IYC

 

 

 Ebilade Ekerefe, National Spokesman of Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) has

advised the stakeholders from the Niger Delta region to adopt new strategies to tackle the persistent reluctance of the Federal Government to accent to the agitations by stakeholders from the Niger Delta region.

The relevant stakeholders like the IYC, INC, PANDEF among other groups had been agitating for infrastructural development, resource control and inclusiveness among other challenges facing the region.

According to Ekerefe, the region must do away with obsolete strategy and adopt a new era of strategic alliance with other ethnic nationalities, intellectual and aggressive engagement with the Federal Government for a more accelerated development of the region.

Speaking at the weekend in Yenagoa during his 36th year birthday colloquium and unveiling of his book titled “Chronicle of Ebilade

Ekerefe, the journey so far, Ekerefe maintained that the Ijaw nation and other stakeholders from the region cannot continue to apply obsolete approach and expect to achieve desired result in an evolving world.

 The IYC spokesman who used the opportunity to declaration for the presidency of the 9th council of the council maintained that “We are currently in a jet age and we must prepare an army of young, vibrant

and Intellectually mobile Ijaw youths to drive home our demands. The IYC has come of age to look inward and come up with renewed strategy to

confront the myriads of challenges that affect us as a people if we most get it right.

 He however attributed the successes of the IYC to thousands of youths, elders and state governors of the region particularly the Bayelsa governor, Douye Diri whom he said had given him accolades for

his dedication and boldness in speaking out against injustices and failed commitment of the President Buhari led administration to the demands of the Niger Delta people describing the eight years of the outgoing administration as unfair to the region.

He pointed out that the President Buhari led federal government unfair treatment is widely known, insisting that he did not treat the people of the Niger Delta fairly despite the huge economic contribution of the region.

 He said “Under his government, all the institutions of government

which was established by law to develop the region ran under interim or sole administration basis which stalled the development of region. Despite our outcries, the East West road remains an eyesore.

“Portions of the road remains a death trap with all the audio promises made. There were serious efforts to terminate the amnesty program and annex the

NDDC into the Niger Delta Ministry but we stood our ground and fought very hard for the status quo to remain.

“Majority of the projects awarded by the Buhari’s federal government in the Niger Delta region are all on ground breaking level. The worst of it is the climate change and the perennial flood which has made live very unbearable and yet, the

federal government has refused to come to our aid. Unemployment is on

the rise and our people remain constantly agitated.”

“Rampaging Fulani herdsmen have invaded our region, killing our people with impunity and the security apparatus of the country which is predominantly made of the Fulani extraction are doing nothing.

“In few days from now, we shall be entering the Asiwaju Bola Tinubu’s regime. Nobody knows his plans for the region and what will befall of us. The future is full of uncertainties and there’s no better time than now for a vibrant and courageous leadership”.

On his aspiration to vie for the position of president of the 9th

IYC,  Ebilade Ekerefe, noted that despite his modest achievements as the national spokesman for three years, “I have come to that point of

accepting the call from my teaming supporters, political stakeholders, elders of council, various organs of council and the masses to become the 9th president of the most revered revolutionary youth council in the whole of the West African sub-region”.

Ekerefe pointed out that despite the challenges facing the leadership

of the council, if elected president of the IYC, he would build a new

era on the solid foundation that have laid in the past three years as

spokesperson of the Ijaw Youth Council.

“I’m young, vibrant and energetic to be your president for the next

three years and make no mistake, I’m the representation of a new era.

Just as I did not sleep as spokesperson in advancing the course, I’ll

not still sleep as your president.

“Under my watch, the Ijaw nation will be protected against arms

banditry and marauding Fulani herdsmen who are terrorizing our land

with no consequences. It will not be business as usual”

”In the new era, my leadership will aggressively and strategically

engage the Nigerian state in a more robust and coordinated manner that

will produce desired results. While we shall constantly keep the

issues of resource control and fiscal federalism in the front burner

of the national discourse, issues of climate change will be

prioritized. We shall take the advocacy and engagements to the

international scene and create global awareness on greenhouse

emission”.

“In doing so, we shall set up a research team of young intellectuals

from the Ijaw extraction who will help us with the white paper as our

guide in our advocacies and engagements. Of course, we’ve kick started

the free ICT skill acquisition training programme already, with the

aim of building the capabilities of 301 Ijaw youths before the end of

the year.

 “We shall accomplish it and expand its scope to accommodate more

youths across the region and other initiatives that will be attractive

to youths, especially, agriculture and sport’s development”. He said.

The colloquium was attended by former Nigerian Ambassador, Dr. Boladei

Godknows Igali, the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University, Otuoke,

Professor Teddy Adias, the 2nd Vice President of the Ijaw National

Congress, INC, Alabo Nengi James, OON, Former National Treasurer of

the INC, Chief Kailate Jephtha among others.