IYC Urges FG to Allocate Oil Blocks in Gombe, Bauchi, Others
Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt
The federal government has been urged to allocate licences for oil blocks in the Northern parts of Gombe, Bauchi, Nasarawa and Kogi to people from the Niger Delta region.
President, Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) Worldwide, Mr. Peter Timothy Igbifa, made the call yesterday in a statement in Port Harcourt to mark the Workers’ Day.
Igbifa said that allocating oil blocks in the north to Niger Delta people would further enhance the unity, cooperation and economic integration in the country.
He said that since most oil block licences in the Niger Delta are owned by northerners, it would only be equitable, fair and just to allow Niger Delta people own and operate oil blocks in the north.
The IYC boss said that since oil had been found in Gombe, Bauchi, Nasarawa and Kogi, Niger Delta people should be given oil blocks and given unfettered access to operate businesses of oil and gas in such northern states the same way the northerners were doing in the Niger Delta.
He said: “Since the discovery of oil in commercial quantity in the Niger Delta, northerners have owned oil block licences and operated oil and gas businesses in the Niger Delta enriching themselves from the proceeds of these blocks and businesses.
“It gladdens our hearts that oil has been discovered in some states in the north. Explorations for more discoveries are also going on in the north.
“We are calling on the federal government to also allocate the oil blocks in the north to Niger Delta. This will ensure fair, just and equitable distributions of the country’s resources. It will also help to promote unity and economic integration in the country.”
Igbifa also expressed sadness over the non-completion of the East-West Road, saying sufficient attention was not being paid to the most critical road in the region despite protests from different stakeholders in the Niger Delta.
He said the road would soon suffer another devastation following the looming flood, which would again make the road impassable and cause losses in businesses.
He said: “We are calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to declare a state of emergency on East-West Road and direct his Minister for Works, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, to aggressively fix the road without excuses the same way they handle issues concerning the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos.
“We have noticed that since the East-West road project file was transferred from the Ministry of the Niger Delta to that of Works, there has been inexplicable delay in executing the project.
“While the road continues to be abandoned, similar projects in other parts of the country like the regular costly Maintenance Works on the Third Mainland Bridge are being pursued with speed. We are calling on President Buhari to fix the East-West road before bowing out of office.”
IYC Urges FG to Allocate Oil Blocks in Gombe, Bauchi, Others
Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt
The federal government has been urged to allocate licences for oil blocks in the Northern parts of Gombe, Bauchi, Nasarawa and Kogi to people from the Niger Delta region.
President, Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) Worldwide, Mr. Peter Timothy Igbifa, made the call yesterday in a statement in Port Harcourt to mark the Workers’ Day.
Igbifa said that allocating oil blocks in the north to Niger Delta people would further enhance the unity, cooperation and economic integration in the country.
He said that since most oil block licences in the Niger Delta are owned by northerners, it would only be equitable, fair and just to allow Niger Delta people own and operate oil blocks in the north.
The IYC boss said that since oil had been found in Gombe, Bauchi, Nasarawa and Kogi, Niger Delta people should be given oil blocks and given unfettered access to operate businesses of oil and gas in such northern states the same way the northerners were doing in the Niger Delta.
He said: “Since the discovery of oil in commercial quantity in the Niger Delta, northerners have owned oil block licences and operated oil and gas businesses in the Niger Delta enriching themselves from the proceeds of these blocks and businesses.
“It gladdens our hearts that oil has been discovered in some states in the north. Explorations for more discoveries are also going on in the north.
“We are calling on the federal government to also allocate the oil blocks in the north to Niger Delta. This will ensure fair, just and equitable distributions of the country’s resources. It will also help to promote unity and economic integration in the country.”
Igbifa also expressed sadness over the non-completion of the East-West Road, saying sufficient attention was not being paid to the most critical road in the region despite protests from different stakeholders in the Niger Delta.
He said the road would soon suffer another devastation following the looming flood, which would again make the road impassable and cause losses in businesses.
He said: “We are calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to declare a state of emergency on East-West Road and direct his Minister for Works, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, to aggressively fix the road without excuses the same way they handle issues concerning the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos.
“We have noticed that since the East-West road project file was transferred from the Ministry of the Niger Delta to that of Works, there has been inexplicable delay in executing the project.
“While the road continues to be abandoned, similar projects in other parts of the country like the regular costly Maintenance Works on the Third Mainland Bridge are being pursued with speed. We are calling on President Buhari to fix the East-West road before bowing out of office.”
