From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) has warned that it would no longer condone incessant gas flaring and insensitive practices of International Oil Companies (IOCs) operating in the Niger Delta.
House of Representatives recently threatened to recover the sum of over $9 billion gas flaring fines imposed by the Federal Government on erring local and foreign oil and gas companies.
Reacting to the issue, President of IYC, Alaye Theophilus, yesterday, described gas flaring and venting as significant environmental, economic, health and social concern for people of the Niger Delta.
He stated this in his inaugural speech in Port Harcourt altering taking over from Deacon Peter Igbifa as president.
He promised to promote, defend and demand justice for the Ijaw people during his reign.
“We are in an era where policies of the government are anti-Ijaw and undermines our collective contribution to national sustainable development. As president of the council, I will agitate for resource control beyond oil and gas. We have been undermined for too long. It is abysmal when our rich water bodies are abandoned, and we see ship berths in Lagos, when we have the best seaport in West Africa. What we keep hearing is that our environment is not safe enough, this must stop under my watch as president of council as we demand activation of our seaport.
“I must state it clearly that we will no longer condone incessant gas flaring and lackadaisical practices of the IOCs that has cost us a lot as a people. We shall strive to maintain the stability in council and the Ijaw nation under my leadership,” Theophilus said.
He urged government to explore areas where the region has competitive advantage in order to ameliorate the uncontrollable suffering of the people.
“In my government, political players in the Niger Delta region must up their game in the discharge of their political duties to project the concerns of the region as we shall be asking questions of stewardship and contributions to the development of the region,” Theophilus stated.
The statement further noted that the immediate past President, Igbifa, earlier charged Theophilus to be steadfast and avoid unnecessary distraction in his commitment to set the Council on the right path.