The Ijaw Youth Council has charged the federal government under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to stop using hunger and poverty as a weapon to enslave Nigerians.
National Spokesman, IYC Comrade Berefa Bedford came out with this while speaking to newsmen in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital saying the government has impoverished the people through the removal of fuel subsidy and the political gimmicks in the oil and gas sector.
Comrade Berefa noted that the government has not shown sincerity in governance as they have pushed the people to a state of extreme poverty which has led to the need for a protest which could have been avoided.
” They have taken advantage of the hunger in the land, they have automatically regulated the prices of food items, if they could do this, why did they wait until Nigerians decided to stage a protest before they could do this”
He emphasized that the government has been lackadaisical in handling the issues of the Niger Delta region hence the youths have also been forced to take to the streets to display their grievances.
” Now there is a conditional transfer of cash to over 10,000 persons by the NDDC, should they have waited till Nigerians come out to protest ”
The IYC Spokesperson called on the federal government to refurbish and revitalize the refineries as well create an enabling environment for artisan refineries to thrive in the region.
” We should be firm in oil and gas production in the country, the moribund refineries should be made functional, our systems should not be comatose, our systems should work”
He reiterated his call on President Tinubu to critically look into the issues affecting the Niger Delta people and strategically begin to proffer solutions for the development of the region which is also brings development to the country.
