The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has charged youths in
Nigeria’s oil-producing communities to join in campaigning for peace
and security in the Niger Delta region.
Speaking after receiving an award for excellence from the Niger Delta
Youth Forum, the NDDC Director Corporate Affairs, Dr. Ibitoye Abosede,
stated that development can only take place in an atmosphere of peace
and tranquillity.
Abosede, who received leaders of the Youth Forum in his office at the
NDDC headquarters in Port Harcourt, stressed the need to create the
right environment for development to flourish.
He thanked the youth group for finding him worthy of the award of
“Excellence in Good Leadership,” noting that all stakeholders should
join in the effort to sanitize the Niger Delta to make it attractive
to investors.
Abosede advised the youths to be focused so as to put their God-given
talents to good use, adding that they should not be discouraged by
temporary setbacks.
The Director stressed the importance of sensitizing youths in the
Niger Delta on the dangers of militancy and other social vices,
stating that violence begets violence.
He remarked that promoting awareness campaigns within the Niger Delta
region remained a viable tool for development agencies that need peace
and security to deliver on their mandates, adding that “as an
interventionist agency, the NDDC needs the cooperation of all
stakeholders to perform optimally.”
Abosede said that youths of the Niger Delta region have a crucial role
to play in enthroning peace. He declared: “We don’t want protests and
agitations in the Niger Delta anymore. Dialogue is the way to go.”
Earlier, the President of Niger Delta Youth Forum, Comrade Emmanuel
Ekine, said that the body was organising awareness campaigns in the
region to sensitize the youths on the need to shun violence and
criminality.
Ekine said: “The youth forum has observed that restiveness; violent
agitations and criminal tendencies are the prevalent challenges
confronting the region.”
He commended the NDDC director, explaining that his nomination for
recognition came after a careful consideration of his contributions to
youth development, especially his outstanding leadership qualities and
transparent service to the Niger Delta region.