IYC Chides Tinubu Over Ministry of Niger Delta Scrapping, Demand Urgent Reinstatement

Olusegun Samuel in Yenagoa

The umbrella body of Ijaws youths worldwide, the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) has challenged President Bola Tinubu, over purported attempts to scrap the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, saying the act of imposing decisions on the masses without their consent must stop as it is a recipe for chaos. 

The council at a press briefing to reflect on the issues affecting the country, said the IYC as critical stakeholder in the Niger Delta, is seriously opposed to the scrapping of the Niger Delta Ministry.

A statement signed by its spokesman, Binebia Princewill, said the decision and action of the president and the Federal Executive Council to dissolve the Ministry of Niger Delta is a devastating blow to the region and its people, as the move reeks of neo-colonialism and internal colonialism. 

The council said it stands in solidarity with the people of the Niger Delta to challenge this oppressive and subjugating decision, adding that “It is a perpetuation of the exploitation and marginalization of the Niger Delta, a stark reminder of the ongoing struggle for self-determination and resource control.”

The council therefore demanded for the urgent reinstatement of the Niger Delta Ministry.

The statement read: “It is very appalling to note that while we have the Northwest Development Commission, Northeast, south east, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the entire Federal Executive Council (FEC) only decided to tamper with the Ministry of Niger Delta, under the guise of changing the nomenclature to Federal Ministry of Regional Development to accommodate and oversee all regional commissions. 

“Where is the South- South Development Commission? Since the Federal Ministry of Regional Development headed by Abubakar Momoh as minister is now a general Ministry, where is our Niger Delta Ministry or its replacement, the now Federal Ministry of Regional Development cannot be seen as a replacement of the Niger Delta Ministry.

“While peace is key and important for the development of any society, Government must be seen addressing the developmental needs of her people and not making moves to further deepen old wounds to undo the people. We are sounding this very clearly that there is no good intentions behind the purported scrapping of the Niger Delta Ministry.

“From the very beginning, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had wanted to scrap the ministry. As a council, we are not going to accept this now and not even in the future. We have never seen anywhere in the world where a people that sustain the entire country with the wealth in their land will be subjected to such unbridled Sisyphean pain and misery. 

“Nigerian economy will almost be nothing without oil and gas that come from the Niger Delta. Till date, despite these natural resources that have made Nigeria an economically viable nation, the Niger Delta remains the most abused, violated, economically raped, underdeveloped and neglected region season after season, government after government.

“A situation where the Niger Delta is moving from a paltry 13% to a mere 3% as contained in the  PIA for oil bearing communities while a whopping 10% for frontier basins is also another political wickedness meted out on our people. 

“The Niger Delta as a neglected and underdeveloped region, by all positive moral standards, has the right and privilege to be blessed with numerous possible agencies and commissions to carter for our development. Conscious of the fact that our oil money is minute by minute, hour by hour, day by day, week by week, month by month, year by year and decade by decade being used to fund several agencies, states and commissions in Nigeria. No sacrifice is too big for the Government to do for the Niger Delta people.”