Ask oil companies to develop Niger-Delta – Ijaw youths tell President

chika ebuzor

October 8, 2017 11:49 AM

The group made the call in reaction to an alleged Federal Government directive, asking oil companies to contribute towards developing the North-East.

The Ijaw Youth Council Worldwide (IYCW) has called on President Buhari to direct oil companies to develop the Niger-Delta region.

According to Punch, the IYCW spokesman said “Although the North-East is a victim of its own destruction, Ijaw have nothing against any plans to help IDPs and to develop the region.

“However, we find it quite traumatic that the government and its agencies that have never considered for over 60 years to instruct the oil companies ‘devastating’ our once fertile lands and rivers, thereby dislocating our local economies, are today instructing them to contribute to the development of the North-East destroyed by its own homegrown terrorism.

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“But at the same time, the Federal Government has remained mute about the development of the Niger Delta where the oil companies get the resources that are being directed to be siphoned to the North-East. It is a known historical truth that the Niger Delta has suffered far worse than the IDPs in the North-East.’’

Meanwhile, the Army has announced the deployment of troops in the Niger-Delta region to commence Operation Crocodile Smile.

chika ebuzor