Following the October 1 quit notice that the Coalition of Northern Youths have given to the Igbo living in the north, the Youths from the South-South zone of our Country under the umbrella body of Oil & Solid Mineral Producing Area Landlords Association of Nigeria (OMPALAN) yesterday urged the National Assembly to pass the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) into law to reduce agitation and restiveness of the different ethnic groups.
The association also urged Federal Government to address the challenges in the solid minerals host communities for easy job creation that will bring peace and development.
Condemning the notice in a statement that the youths signed and released to The Nation, they submitted that Nigeria needs now is “Peace and Unity” which is chief among the Vision & Mission of OMPALAN.
The statement which the Leaders of the youths, Hon. Ngokanya, Benjamin and Captain John Victor Etim signed noted that the youths met in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The other members that were in attendance, according to the statement, were Hon. Benjamin Ngokanya, Captain John Victor Etim, Barr. Dave Owate Wokoma, Barr Favour Okokon, Mr. Dandy Loveday, Harry Aparama Kelvin, Envang. Benard Oluka, Jeff Nwafor Eric Dudu Obeta, Umeh Christian, and Hon Asukwo Effiong.
The youths said that God has blessed every state of Nigeria with one mineral deposit or the other that the nation is yet to harness.
They added that: “We, therefore, implore the Federal Government to explore these rich and diverse endowments in order to create new jobs for sustainable development goals.
“As key stakeholders who believe firmly in the Nigeria Project, the South-South OMPALAN youths advocate for the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) for the the host communities by the National Assembly which should equally be extended to solid mineral producing States so as to reduce youth restiveness and other forms of agitations that impede development as we believe that Nigeria can thrive and develop faster when the God-given natural resources impact host communities positively and commensurately.”
The group commended acting President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo for rising to the threat and suing for peace across the length and breath the country through the meetings with the 36 State Governors of the Federation and leaders of the South East and Northern Nigeria.
Continuing, the association’s youths said that: “We cannot blame the entire Igbo’s or South East region for the isolated actions of a tiny but, vocal group (ISOB and MASSOP) in much the same way the North East region cannot be blamed and penalized for the monumental destructions and killings occasioned by Boko Haram which has cost the taxpayer in Nigeria trillions of Naira.
“No section of our nation can be seen or said to be greater than the entire Country, Nigeria. Our unity in diversity should be guarded jealously by every citizen of this great Country. As such, hate speeches and tribal threats will only help to destroy our unity and threaten constitutional peace.”
The South-South youths “called on the coalition of northern youths to support the rule of law and shun disgruntled politicians who are working to truncate the hard-earned democratic experiment in Nigeria because this great Country belongs to everyone citizen of Nigeria especially the youths who will grow to take over the management of the Country.
“We equally advise the IPOB and MASSOB to sheath the sword and be part of Nigeria’s indissoluble sovereignty and unity. Our refrain should be ‘One Nigeria! Every Nigerian’. OMPALAN stands for one united and sovereign Nigeria for every Nigerian in any part of Nigeria. We are willing to engage both the coalition of Northern Youths, IPOB, MASSOB and other aggrieved organisations in a dialogue to build peace development across the entire Country in order to strengthen corporate governance.
“All forms of agitations and threats for secession across the Country should cease forthwith. Our political leaders and elders should come to a round table discussing without further delay to fashion a way forward for our dear Country and remove the fragile peace process from limbo aware that so many Countries are looking up to us for leadership and inspiration.
“Finally, the S’South youths of OMPALAN requests the Presidency to convene a youth summit of major youth formations across Nigeria to drum support for the rule of law and douse the tension generated by the treasonable and shocking statement credited to the coalition of northern youths asking the Igbos to leave the north.
“There is only one Nigerian Government with one constitution. The sit at home order and hate speeches only convey the treasonable message within Nigeria and beyond that, there are three parallel governments in the Country managed jointly by the Federal Government, the coalition of northern youths and secessionist movements.
“This ugly development has dire consequences on national security and stability, especially in the nation’s oil fields. We expect the nation’s robust security agencies to deploy their arsenal effectively to bring the prevailing security threats that are burning like wildfire under control and guarantee the right of every law-abiding citizen of sovereign Nigeria to live and work in any part of the Country without fear or molestation.”
