NDDC board: IYC lauds Tompolo, Akpabio on truce

From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa 

Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) has commended Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akapabio and stakeholders, including Government Ekpemupolo over an agreement reached in Oporoza, Delta State during a meeting for a substantive board for the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

IYC said the agreement is in conformity with the earlier one secured by the Ijaw youths from Akpabio after series of agitation and meeting in Abuja.

 The IYC, through its National Spokesman, Ebilade Ekerefe, in a statement in Yenagoa, commended Ekepemupolo, the President of the Ijaw National Congress (INC), Benjamin Okaba, and other stakeholders that attended the meeting in Oporoza for pushing further the agitation by the Ijaw youths and halting the threats to the peace of the region.

“Many have come to see that the Ijaw youths have a foresight and were bold to have earlier detected the need to agitate and engage Akapabio and the Federal Government on the issues of the tenure of the sole administrator, the forensic audit report and the substantive board.

“Through a systematic approach and media engagement, the issue has finally secured a firm resolve by the Federal Government to finish the forensic audit and set up a board for the NDDC.

“The substantive board, if set up, should also have a clear representation for the youths of the region for pragmatic engagement and sense of belonging. This has become necessary as previous boards have only represented the interest of a few and not the interest of the youths and the development of the region.”