A Niger Delta youth group has warned another one to desist from causing problems and isuing threats to the management board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
The youth group, Consolidated Youths of Nigerian Delta (CYND) asked erstwhile militants to withdraw the 7-day ultimatum given to the new management NDDC board over non payment for the water hyacinth jobs awarded to them.
The former militants had under the umbrella of 21stCentury Youths of Niger Delta and Agitators with Conscience, led by their leader, Izon Ebi, threatened to shut down the NDDC offices after the expiration of the ultimatum. Prof. Nelson Brambaifa leads the new management board accused of failure to pay after executing the contract.
“The NDDC board should do the needful and commence payment for the jobs immediately to stem youths’ restiveness that may lead to bloodshed, loss of lives and destruction of properties in the region”, Izon warned.
But the CYND group led by its National Coordinator, Comrade Frank Naday, expressed dismay at the action, noting that “this is not the time for the region to be drawn into another round of conflagration as the Federal Government led by President Muhammadu Buhari strives to douse tension through systematic empowerment of the youths through the NDDC”.
In a statement made available to the media at the weekend, the youths recalled that “since the emergence of this current Prof. Brambaifa-led NDDC management board, over 5,000 youths have benefitted from the water hyacinth jobs and other empowerment schemes.”
He warned that “we will respond appropriately if the ex-militants ignore the voices of reason and carry out their threats to disrupt the agency’s activities.
“We are aware that the Acting Managing Director (MD) of the Commission, Prof. Nelson Brambaifa, and his team are working so very hard to make more payments to those who are yet to receive their water hyacinth jobs and other empowerment programmes”, Naday added.
He urged the former agitators to reciprocate the Federal Government’s gesture by maintaining peace in the region as President Buhari has shown more commitment to address the challenges of development that has been plaguing the region in time past.
