Resource control: Nigeria ‘ll soon here from us – IYC
By Amos Odeh
The President of the Ijaw Youth Council IYC, Worldwide, Comrade Peter Igbifa, has declared that very soon Nigeria will know their position on resource control.
He said that they were no longer comfortable with the current sufferings inflicted on the Ijaw nation by the lopsided constitution of Nigeria, ” a constitution which is set to heighten our marginalisation and oppress the Ijaw people”.
The Ijaw group also said its leadership had expressed utmost displeasure over lingering effects of gas flaring , climate change , perennial flooding , constant exploitation and exploration of oil in the Niger Delta region.
He stated this while speaking to newsmen at Yenagoa after an enlarged consultation with critical stakeholders comprising all past leaders ,present officials drawn from three zones of IYC .
He queried the rationale behind giving Zamfara state the license to mine her Gold while on the other hand the Federal Government controls the Niger Delta oil.
“This has brought light and reawakening the consciousness to the fact that the struggle for resource control of the Niger Delta is over due. We want to control what nature has blessed us with and it is not difficult to do, if Zamfara can do it , we are more than capable to control ours” he said.
He said that consultations were still on-going and that in less than no distant time , Congress of IYC will be called in order to unanimously roll out its action plans.
He also posited that the military should not prepare for war as the process will be most peaceful , but firm enough to drive home the position of the Ijaw people.
He explained the IYC represents the voice of the Ijaws in the Niger Delta and condemned all the activities of the Multinational corporations, International Oil companies which has led to degradation of the environment, as gas flaring has reduce life expectancy of the people of Niger Delta as their farmlands and water bodies which are major sources of livelihood has been adversely affected.
Speaking also, the Spokesman of IYC, Comrade Ebipade Ekefere said on resource control the Ijaws stand on and that federal government should allow the people to control its God given natural resources.
Commenting on #ENDSARS , he said it was a call for restructuring to work in unity in order to endear peace and security.
“The IYC leadership is calling on all leaders in the Niger Delta to work in unity in order to address issues militating against the development of the region” he said .
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