.As N/Delta youths protest, barricade NNPC towers, demand CEO’s resignation
IGNATIUS OKOROCHA with agency reports
President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has charged Nigerians on the need to maintain and secure government facilities in their immediate community.
Akpabio gave the charge on Tuesday while commissioning projects in Ika Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
A statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Mr Jackson Udom, quoted Akpabio as saying, “my duty as your representative in the Senate is to ensure that I bring projects that you ask for in the overall good of the people.
You as the beneficiaries of these projects, owe the government a duty to protect the facilities so that they won’t be vandalized or destroyed by enemies of progress.
“In other words, I want communities to own these projects and by so doing, the government at all levels would be encouraged to do more.”
Speaking further, Akpabio stated, “if you say afterall it is government property let us vandalize them. Are we all not government?
That means you are also destroying your property and by so doing, you have only succeeded in discouraging the government from doing more for your community.”
He assured his constituents of the determination and commitment of the President Bola Tinubu-led Renewed Hope administration to deliver dividends of democracy at the doorsteps of every Nigerian before he leaves office.
” This current administration of President Bola Tinubu is one with a human face that is determined to make things easier for the people especially for the common people.
The President recently approved that 1000 Nigerians from every ward all over the country should be financially empowered to boost their economic powers at the local level.
Earlier in his welcome speech, a community leader and member, National Communication Commission (NCC), Chris Okorie, reassured the Senate President of returning President Bola Tinubu, himself and Governor Umo Eno, back to their respective offices.
Some of the projects commissioned by the Senate President include; an 8 classroom block, an ICT Centre in St Augustine Secondary School, Ika Local Government Area and a 12 classroom block at the Community Secondary School and an ultra modern market in Uruk-Ata 2, Etim Ekpo Local Government Area.
Meanwhile, The Niger Delta Ethnic Nationalities Youth Leaders Forum (NDENYLF) on Wednesday staged a protest at the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) Towers, Abuja calling on its Group CEO, Mr Bashir Ojulari to quit.
The group demanded that the GCEO should be replaced over alleged corruption and mismanagement.
The youths also demanded for the appointment of an indigene of the Niger Delta region as the GCEO of the oil giant.
They arrived at the towers in their numbers and blocked the entrance and exit gates of the company, holding banners, with different inscriptions, while chanting solidarity songs.
On one of the inscriptions on the banners, the coalition called for the replacement of the GCEO over alleged corruption.
They also called for the reopening of the Port Harcourt Refinery and restoration of all indigenes of the Niger Deltans sacked by Ojulari.
The protest disrupted vehicular traffic on the roads, while security agents were seen appealing to the protesters, trying to maintain orderliness and ensuring a free flow of traffic.
Motorists and NNPC Ltd. workers were forced to park their cars far away from the gates of the towers due to the protest.
Management of NNPC Ltd. later went into a close door meeting with some officials of the coalition of Niger Delta Youth leaders, while normalcy returned.
Comrade Edet Eyo, President, Oro Youth Movement (OYOM), said that after meeting with the management who promised to look into their demands, they decided to go into consultation with their members to suspend the protest.
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