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Tag: Ijaw Youth Council (IYC)

  • Give priority to Ijaw job seekers, IYC urges NNPC

    The Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) Worldwide has appealed to Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) give priority to qualified Ijaw persons in the ongoing recruitment exercise of the corporation.

    Speaking in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital, the IYC Secretary-General, Alfred Kemepado, warned against hijacking the employment announced recently by NNPC.

    Kemepado said it would amount to injustice and unfairness for the Ijaw people, who suffer pains of oil exploration and exploitation, to be marginalised in the ongoing process.

    He said: “Recently you may have discovered that NNPC made a publication for qualified people to apply for various positions in NNPC and applications were made around the nation and as Ijaws as qualified and competent as we are, most of us also applied to be given those jobs.

    “But sad information reaching us is that the Presidency has hijacked the process of recruitment and that our people, the Ijaw people are being sidelined and we find that very offensive for many reasons.

    “One of the reasons is that we cannot continue to dwell in a nation where they come around the Niger Delta especially in the Ijaw territory drill the oil, take the oil and sustain this country called Nigeria and leave us here in the Niger Delta with the associated diseases such as leukemia and the degraded environment but when there is opportunity for employment, our people are always sidelined, marginalised and not considered at all. We find that very offensive”.

    Read Also: Crisis rocks Ijaw Youths Council in Bayelsa

    Describing the situation as intolerable, Kemepado appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari and the new General Managing Director of NNPC to look into the issue and consider qualified Ijaw for the existing job opportunities.

    “We appeal to the Presidency and the new GMD to look into this issue and ensure that ijaw people who applied for those positions, whom we know are qualified for these positions should be considered and not sidelined by one list from the Presidency.

    “If that really happens we will take it as an insult. From the inception of this government, we have been provoked many times. The time the presidency came to this Niger Delta it promised us that companies would relocate to the Niger Delta. We did not see that happen. But we frown at this one and we are calling on the presidency to have a rethink and do what is right”.

    Kemepado said the IYC also heard that following the appointment of the new NDDC boss, the corporation would be restructured and called on the Federal Government to considered Ijaw people during the process.

    He said Ijaw people had been trained in the oil sector through various interventionist programmes from the Amnesty Office, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and other scholarship schemes sponsored by the government.

    “They are qualified with local and foreign certificates. So nobody can doubt the competence of the Ijaw people. Therefore, the country should not continue to provoke this region. As Ijaw youth council in conjunction with the elders, we have done our beat to keep the peace in this region.

    “Let us make it abundantly clear here that the peace that present Muhammadu Buhari has enjoyed for the past four years and the peace that unfortunately he is enjoying that has resulted to the continuous flow of oil is not as a result of what this government is doing for the people of the Niger Delta.

    “It is only as a result of our resolve as a people to keep the peace here with the hope that in situation like this, our people will not continue to be sidelined and I don’t want the presidency to push its luck too far and further provoke our people.

    “This country cannot afford the provocation of this region and we also do not intend to request for anything more than equity and anything more than justice. We know that there are other issues like the Maritime University Bill that is still waiting on the President’s table to sign. We call on him to sign it.

    “We all know that the East-West road is unattended to. The Brass LNG is unattended to including other issues in the region. But now what is most pressing and most disrespectful to us is the issue of the NNPC and we want the presidency to include our people”.

    Also speaking IYC Chairman, Central Zone, Kennedy Olorogun, said the zine was bothered by the issue of employment ad appealed to the presidency to use the NNPC employment to make up for the neglect of the Ijaw.

    He said the youths had decided to embrace peace but warned against actions capable of provoking them into violence.

  • Imo youths petition CJN over declaration of Ihedioha as governor-elect

    Youths under the aegis of Imo Youth Council (IYC) have petitioned the Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Ibrahim Tanko, to wade into the Constitutional crisis brewing in the State over the outcome of the general election.

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared the governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Emeka Ihedioha as governor-elect.

    But in a petition signed by the National President and National Speaker of the IYC, Comrade Ikechukwu Obiora and Hon Samuel Godstime Chukwubuikem repectively, the youths urged the Acting CJN to prevail on INEC to observe and respect the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution as it applies to the emergence of a winner in a governorship election.

    They posited the declaration of the PDP candidate as the governor-elect is a clear violation of the Constitution and should be reversed before it escalates into full blown Constitutional crisis.

    According to the youths, INEC as an institution should not operate outside the provisions of the Constitution or laws establishing it, adding that no person or institution is above the Constitution.

    The petition reads in part, “We the youths of Imo state and other well- meaning Imolites have observed with grave concern, the flagrant disregard of the Nigerian Constitution by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the governorship election of Imo State.

    “INEC returned the governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Emeka Ihedioha as governor-elect in a reckless violation of Section 179 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which stipulate that a candidate for an election to the office of the Governor of a State shall be deemed to have been duly elected where, there being two or more candidates; he has the highest number of votes cast at the election; and he has not less than one-quarter of all the votes cast in each of at least two-thirds of all the Local Government Areas in the State.

    “The statistics of the result of the governorship election showed that the PDP candidate did not score the percentage of vote required to be declared as governor-elect.

    “We are therefore as Concerned Youths of Imo State soliciting your intervention to prevail on INEC to withdraw the purported declaration and order a fresh election to avoid impending Constitutional crisis”.

    They continued: “We are therefore demanding that a date be fixed for a fresh election in the state and if a winner emerges in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution, we shall gladly accept the verdict as the collective will of the people of the state, but we will employ all legitimate means to ensure that the illegality foisted on the people of the state by INEC does not stand”.

  • South-South governors, IYC condemn suspension of CJN

    South-South Governors and the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide, on Saturday condemned the decision of President Muhammadu Buhari to suspend the Chief Justice of the Federation (CJN), Walter Onnoghen.

    The Chairman of the South South Governors Forum and Governor òf Bayelsa State, Seriake Dickson, described the removal of Onnoghen as a sad day and a sad commentary on democracy in Nigeria.

    The governor in a statement signed his Special Adviser on Media Relations, Mr. Fidelis Soriwei, said that the action was inimical to the desired stability of the nation and critical institutions of state.

    He said that Nigerians had a responsibility to be concerned about the electoral process and the critical institutions entrusted with the responsibility to safeguard democracy in the society.

    Dickson, who at the weekend received the Sun Newspaper Award for the Outstanding Politician of the year said that Nigeria would be heading in the direction of a shithole country if critical institutions of state failed to get it right.

    He lamented that the removal of Onnoghen from his exalted position showed in clear terms that democracy was under serious stress and test.

    He said: “Talking about the unfortunate development today, having read the details about it, and if the report that we are reading about it are anything to go by, then it is a very sad commentary on our nation’s democracy

    “It is a very sad day, for our nation’s democracy and for the stability of our nation, and the stability of the critical national institution of which the judiciary is primus inter pares.

    “We must be concerned about the process, the integrity of the national critical institutions that will safeguard and reinforce our democracy, seeing our democracy has come under very severe stress and test by what has happened today”.

    Read Also: ‘South-South is supporting Buhari’s re-election’

    He stressed that while the courts would make pronouncement on the legality or otherwise on the development around the CJN, he personally found the action condemnable

    “Is this action legal? I am sure the courts are there to make pronouncements on it one way or the order. However I have my views, and clearly I condemn it”, he said,

    He emphasized the need for due process and adherence to constitutional provisions stressing that countries are governed according to laws and mutual respect among the political class.

    The Governor said that there must be respect for processes in the Indepedent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the security agencies.

    He said: “We should stop demonizing, criminalizing one another, because it takes Nigerians to build Nigeria. We cannot demonize all Nigerians and expect to be a great nation or to be taken seriously anywhere

    “And I believe essentially that whereas there are serious issue to be dealt with, we are essentially a good and decent people and a great nation potentially”.

    Also, the IYC in a statement signed by its Seceratry-General, Alfred Kemepado referred to the action of the President as an act of state violence and dictatorship

    He said suspension of the CJN was totally unlawful and shameful adding that it was as an attempted coup executed by the President Buhari administration against the judiciary and the law abiding the citizens of Nigeria.

    He accused the Presidency of having a plot to instigate unrest and violence in the Niger Delta region and the South South of the country.

    He said the South-South  no longer strongly felt that they were part of Nigeria under the Buhari administration.

    Kemepado recalled that the Buhari administration earlier unjustly removed Mr. Matthew Seiyefa, who meritoriously rose to the rank of the Director-General, Department of State Service (DSS)

    He said: “This  is the time for youths of Ijaw land and the Niger Delta to show how lazy they are or how resolute they can be. The international community, especially the governments  of the USA, the UK and the EU should note this unwarranted state violence against the people of the South-South Nigeria.

    “We call on the government of the USA and the UK to extend the ban on visas to the children and family members of those who are bent on instigating breakdown of law in Nigeria”.

     

  • Ijaw youths endorse Buhari for second term

     

     

    Ijaw youths on Friday declared support for the reelection of President Muhammadu Buhari in the forthcoming general elections.

    The youths under the auspices of Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) Worldwide insisted Buhari deserves a second term.

    They said they were excited by Buhari’s plans to allocate oil blocks to Niger Delta oil-producing states to facilitate development in the region.

    The youths said the only way they could reciprocate the Buhari’s good intentions through his programmes and projects in the region is to reward him with a second term.

    In a statement by spokesman of IYC, Daniel Dasimaka, the youths said they were backing the call by the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs and Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Prof. Charles Dokubo, to vote for the President.

    Dasimaka said Buhari won their admirations when he resisted pressure mounted on him by haters of the region to scrap the amnesty programme in 2015.

    Besides, he said the President deserves a second term to enable him consolidate his agenda in the region.

     

     

    “The President deserves mass support from Niger Delta on his second term bid in order to consolidate on his agenda for the region and the nation,” he said.

    Specifically, he said Buhari’s second term would take the Ogoni cleanup, construction of the Bonny-Bodo road and the Nigerian Maritime University in Okerenkoko among others to the next level.

    Dasimaka, who is the Coordinator of the Niger Deltans for Accountability and Good Governance (NDAGG), noted Buhari’s intervention led National University Commission (NUC) to grant approval to the arithmetic university to commence undergraduate degree programmes.

    He said Buhari’s administration gave approvals for the establishment of modular refineries across the nine states of the Niger-Delta.

    According to him 38 licences have been issued, covering high-scale refineries of 50,000 to 250,000 barrels per day.

    He explained the administration completed six cassava processing plants in most of the states in the region.

    He added that 130 youths in the Niger Delta were trained on poultry, Aquaculture, crop production and were given N1million each by the Buhari-led administration.

     

     

     

    He said: “In the Niger-Delta region, 214 women who specialize in poultry and snail production were given between N350,000 to N500,00 each.

    “198 women and youths in the Niger-Delta region were trained on ICT & business hub, poultry & fish production.

    “Under President Buhari’s administration, 60 youths from the Niger-Delta region were also trained on assemblage and repair of phones.”

  • Lagos gridlock: IYC urges FG to open N’Delta ports as way out

    The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) has urged the Federal Government to direct the Ministry of Transport to open the neglected sea ports in the Niger Delta to decongest ports in Lagos.

     

    Its leader, Mr Roland Pereotubo, on Wednesday urged the government to direct importers and exporters to the ports in Niger Delta area to reduce the gridlock in Lagos ports.

     

    “As the nation is groaning over the congestion of the sea ports in Lagos, which has been causing gridlocks in the city, IYC wishes to draw the attention of the relevant authorities to the litanies of sea ports in the Niger Delta.

     

    “The ports in the Niger Delta have the capacity to decongest Lagos ports, but Niger Delta region has been deliberately abandoned, segregated and marginalised for long by successive Nigerian governments since independence.

     

    Read Also: ‘How to end building collapse in Niger Delta’

     

    “In Delta State, we have a deep seaport and a dockyard in Burutu Island at which mother vessels can load and off load goods.

    “We also have Koko, Warri and Sapele ports that can take care of the problem in Lagos.

     

    “The proposed Deep Sea Port at Agge community in Bayelsa State is another economic hub of the country. This also has been abandoned.

    “Again, the Calabar port in Cross-Rivers state is another viable economic hub that has received no government attention.

    “All these ports and others in the region if revamped will solve the problem in Lagos.”

    NAN

  • IYC commends Seiyefa for releasing DSS detainees

    The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide Tuesday applauded the Director-General of the Department of State Security (DSS), Mathew Seiyefa, for making good his promise to review cases and release detainees held in the agency without trials.

    IYC also called on the Presidency to confirm the appointment of Seiyefa and make him the substantive head of the DSS.

    The Nation reported exclusively that the DSS commenced a process of granting freedom to suspects detained for some years without trials in its facilities in Abuja.

    Seven of the suspects, who were arrested in 2016 in Bayelsa State, were brought to Yenagoa at the weekend.

    They were brought from the DSS Headquarters in Abuja to the office of the DSS in Yenagoa and released to their family members and friends, who milled around the agency’s office.

    Some of the suspects were seen shedding tears of joy in the warm embrace of their friends when they finally marched out of the DSS facility.

    The suspects looked unkempt with overgrown bears, rough skin and dirty clothes.

    One of them, who identified himself as Clinton Ohaigbofa, confirmed that suspects held without trial were being massively released across the country.

    Clinton, who hails from Ebedebiri in Ogbia Local Government Area, attributed the development to the disposition of the new DSS boss.

    He said they were held in underground cells in Abuja for over two years, adding that they untold hardship.

    The  IYC in a statement signed by its Secretary-General, Alfred Kemepado, expressed satisfaction and comfort with the recent strides of Seifa describing him as a true democrat.

    Kemepado said the recent release of persons detained in the custody of the DSS without trial gave hope and value to democracy.

    He, however, urged Seifa to look into high profile cases detainees like that of El-zazaky, the leader of the Shiites in Nigeria and dispense fairness to all.

    He said: “IYC has spoken to colleagues from other ethnic nationalities and most have expressed their confidence that Mr. Seiyefa will tackle the humongous security challenges facing Nigeria today from Boko Haram to the herdsmen palava and to recent activities that threatens our democracy”.

    Kemepado thanked President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice-President Osibanjo for considering a competent son of the South of Nigeria to head the DSS.

    “This is positively contrary to our earlier beliefs that the President disrespected us. We want to appeal to President Buhari to confirm Seifa’s appointment as we are willing to work with him and others to sustain the peace in Nigeria and in the Niger Delta especially.

    “We call on all groups to continue to support Seiyefa with information and prayers for the overall good of all. The IYC appeals to Seiyefa not to yield to the antics of politicians but to uphold the values of his service and also uphold our growing democracy,” he said.

  • IYC condemns killing, violence in NANS election

    IYC condemns killing, violence in NANS election

    The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide, Tuesday, condemned in strong terms, the killing of a final year law student in Otuoke, Bayelsa State, during the Zone B election of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS).

    The victim, Magam Elvis, a student of the University of Uyo (UNIUYO) was shot dead by suspected rival cultists, who came as delegates for the election that was held at the premises of the Federal University of Otuoke (FUO).

    Other victims sustained various degrees of injuries as rival cult groups engaged in a supremacy battle wielding guns, machetes, axes and other weapons.

    The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Asuquo Amba, arrested some of the suspects with arms including the Bayelsa State President of NANS, Mr. Perewari Benjamin and vowed to prosecute them.

    But the Chairman of IYC, Central Zone, Mr. Tari Porri, said the council would not allow anybody to destabilise the existing peace in the zone, which covers Bayelsa and parts of Rivers State.

    Porri, who frowned on the trend of students bearing arms in the name of cultism, described the violence in the NANS election as an aberration and embarrassment to the real essence of education.

    He said: “The IYC under my leadership in this zone will not tolerate activities relating to cult wars or inter-communal crisis. We will not tolerate anybody coming to disturb the already existing peace in the state.

    “If anyone is found wanting, we will mobilise the entire law-abiding Ijaw youths against the person. Youths should be law-abiding. They should not partake in organisations that will not bring honour to the state or organisation that will bring disrepute to the ijawland”.

    While advising the youths to identify with meaningful ventures that would bring joy and progress to the Ijaw nation, Porri, said no election was worth the life of any youth.

    “We are appealing to the entire youths in the central zone to be law-abiding and to be serious with their lives instead of engaging in vices that will destroy them.

    “Look at a young man who was just killed, a promising young man, a law student from the university of Uyo. The gains and aspirations of that young man had been cut short”, he said.

    Porri wondered the fate of the country where an organisation like NANS hitherto reputable for moulding talents and careers of youths had become a safe haven for criminals and cultists.

    He said: “We were all parts of NANS. When we were playing active NANS politics, we would shout and scatter things but you would never see a student beating and slapping another student much less handling weapons to kill.

    “This time around, young boys of 15 to 20 years will be moving about with guns. Some persons were also arrested because guns were found in their vehicles.  We say no to this because it is an aberration.

    “As the leader of Ijaw youth central zone, I appeal to students to stay clear of cultism and other activities that will destroy them and bring disrepute to the Ijaw nation”.

  • Ban on secessionist group: Ohanaeze youths back S’East govs

    Ban on secessionist group: Ohanaeze youths back S’East govs

    Youths of the Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has given its support to the decision by South East governors to proscribe the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

    The group also entered into an agreement in Abuja yesterday with leaders of other ethnic nationalities in the country to promote peace and ensure the safety of every Nigerian.

    In a communique issued at the end of the leaders of ethnic nationalities meeting held at FAB Apartments, Abuja, the Ohanaeze Youth Council reassured all Northerners and members of other ethnic nationalities resident in the East to go about their businesses without any fear as the safety of their lives and properties is guaranteed.

    Similarly, the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) reassured the Igbo and other ethnic groups resident in the northern part of the country of the safety of their lives and property, and the guarantee that they reserve the right to pursue their legitimate businesses and livelihood without fear.

    The meeting, which was attended by the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Yoruba Youth Congress (YYC), Niger Delta Youth Congress (NDYC) and a host of other groups, restated the group’s commitment to a united, peaceful and prosperous Nigeria where the rights of all citizens to live peacefully in any part of the country is guaranteed, adding that all Nigerians have the moral duty to be their brother’s keeper in all parts and affairs anywhere in the country.

    The leadership of the OYC in a separate statement signed by the President, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro; the Deputy National President, Dr Arthur Obiora;  the Secretary General, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike and other executive members called on President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently commence the process of restructuring the country by marching words with action.

     ”We are saddened by the level of confrontation between the Nigerian Army and the Biafra agitators and the consequent death of many Igbo youths in the process.

    “We are also sad over the reported death of a policeman during this unfortunate but avoidable incident. We say avoidable in the sense that before the launch of Operation Python Dance 2, there was already a reasonable level of discussion between us and the agitators.

    “We are equally aware that South-East governors were also in discussion with the agitators before the military launched its action.

    “However, considering the level of destruction and ruins that could have erupted, we applaud the South-East governors for rising to the occasion.

    “It was indeed the need of the moment. We cannot afford to continue to lose the lives of our people, in addition to over three million killed during the civil war,” the group said.

    The OYC, however, noted that proscribing the IPOB was merely a temporary measure, adding that if the root causes of the agitations were not addressed, “we would not be any surprised if another group more daring than IPOB springs up in the future.

    “While we affirm our belief in one and united Nigeria anchored on justice and fairness, we insist that the country should be fair and just to all irrespective of ethnicity or religion.

    “The Igbo are equally partners in the Nigerian project and should, therefore, be treated fairly.

    “We commend Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State for his mature disposition in handling Aba crisis, and South East National Assembly members led Ekweremadu.

    “May we also urge the President to pardon and release all the IPOB members arrested during the reported confrontation with the military.”

     

  • Ijaw people most marginalised, says Dickson

    Ijaw people most marginalised, says Dickson

    The Bayelsa State Governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson, has described Ijaw people of the Niger Delta as the most unfairly treated in the entire country.

    Dickson in a statement signed Monday by his new Chief Press Secretary, Mr, Francis Agbo, spoke when the Roland Oweilaemi-led Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) visited him in his office in Yenagoa.

    He asked the youths to continue projecting issues of economic marginalisation and environmental pollution affecting the region.

    Dickson urged them to collaborate with the government in addressing the age-long problems of underdevelopment of the Ijaw nation by successive administrations at the federal level.

    He said: “The Ijaw nation is oppressed in Nigeria, and those of us in positions should fight and protect the Ijaw interest. The weapons and strategy for the struggle must change.

    “For 60 years, there is no road to Bonny and Brass, where crude oil is lifted daily. No airport in the Ijaw nation, no oil company operating in the state pays taxes to contribute to the economy.

    “The IYC must continue to raise the legitimate issues without fear of intimidation. I expect you to mobilise and raise the consciousness of the people about the precarious situation we are in”, said the Governor.

    He lamented the state of the region despite its huge contributions to the economic growth of the nation.

    He called on political leaders and persons in positions of trust to protect the collective interest of the Ijaw people.

    But Dickson said that the struggle to emancipate the Ijaw nation was no longer about carrying weapons, “but through intellectual and persuasive means”.

    The governor regretted that there were no boarding schools and functional hospitals in Bayelsa after 20 years of its creation until his administration came and changed the narrative.

    He also appealed to the youths to shun all forms of vices, including cultism and drug abuse.

    Earlier, in his opening remarks, Oweilaemi said Dickson succeeded in giving the Ijaw nation a sense of direction, purpose and a respectable identity in the comity of ethnic nationalities.

    He called on the Federal government to allow the people of the region to establish and manage the proposed modular refineries in the region.

    He added that it is one way the people of the region would be compensated for all the degradation they had been subjected to.

    The youth leader reiterated the 90-day ultimatum to all oil companies operating in the Niger Delta to relocate their corporate headquarters to the region, in line with the directive of the federal government.

  • IYC to Buhari: Assent to Petroleum varsity establishment act

    IYC to Buhari: Assent to Petroleum varsity establishment act

    The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) worldwide has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently assent to the Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun, Delta State Establishment Act which was recently passed into law by the national assembly.

    The Eric Omare led national executive council of the IYC made the call when it paid a visit to the management of the university in Effurun, Delta state, on Wednesday.

    According to Omare, “President Buhari needs to urgently sign the bill into law so as to give the university a legal backing, accelerate the growth of the university and most importantly funding opportunities for it to meet up with its academic obligations as a pioneer petroleum university.

    “It would also enable the university to embark on research into oil and gas issues towards resolving some of the environmental crisis bedeviling the Niger Delta region.

    It would be recalled that the Senator representing Delta Central Senatorial District, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, recently sponsored a bill to provide legal backing to the university, which was promptly passed by the National Assembly, but yet to be assented to by the President
    as required by the 1999 Constitution (As amended).

    The IYC delegation also charged the petroleum university to carry out research on how to tackle the challenge of environmental degradation in the Niger Delta, arising from decades of oil exploration activities in the region.

    The Omare led IYC also called for legal backing for local refiners and the enabling technology to improve their refinering activities.