The forceful move of the Federal Government to stop the planned nationwide protest has reached the oil region as the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has rolled out 10,000 jobs and other programmes to the youths.
Samuel Ogbuku (PhD), managing director of the Commission, rolled out the goodies at a youth forum held near its headquarters on Eastern Bypass.
The large event centre was filled to the brim as vehicles took over the entire area causing traffic jam.
Read also: N/Delta elders demand payment of N3trn allegedly owed NDDC
Apparently striving to let the youths of the oil region see their gains in the present administration, the NDDC boss explained to them details of the 2024 budget of N1.9 trillion.
He also said that there was N30 billion fund for business support as counterpart fund with the Bank of Industry (BoI) to fund youth businesses in collaboration with the Niger Delta Chamber of Commerce.
He spoke about N1 trillion loan from the Presidency in the budget to begin legacy projects that would restore activities of the abandoned projects.
“Youths would get jobs and supply businesses in those projects. Everybody would soon be busy.
“There is a lot for the women of the region and consultation is ongoing with women leaders”, he said.
Throwing what looked like a bombshell, the MD said the biggest of them all is 10,000 jobs coming to the youths in internship worth N50,000 per month per youth participant.
“This will be allocated to each local council area of the region. It is not going to be on party basis. Youths would need to register right away to benefit because it is going to be on merit”, ye added.
Read also: NDDC facilitates post-graduate scholarship for 200 candidates abroad
Ogbuku said the youths have trust in him. He thus urged them to extend the same trust to the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Presidency.
He also urged the Niger Delta people to move in and own Government of the day because those who ought to own Government have joined to protest to bring down their own government.
“If we own it and protect it, we will take over the benefits in the next three years”, Ogbuku noted.
To show that the Tinubu Presidency is a listening Government, he said, the major resolution of the recent stakeholders summit was the need to urgently fix the East-West Road.
“This, has started right away. The president has ordered immediately repairs while an emergency fund has been created to get funds for permanent construction.
“The Senate president and the minister of Niger Delta Affairs have continued to call me and press for daily action.
“Today, the areas the Bayelsa State Governor lamented over have been fixed and the road is faster right now. This shows that Mr President has the Niger Delta at heart”, he said.
Benjamin Kalu, the deputy Speaker, Federal House of Representatives, took the floor and said they had noticed solid relationship in the present NDDC; the board, the management, and even with the people of the region.
“This gives us joy. This has never been so before.
“Those like me that did not meet up with the summit are still regretting. I did everything to meet up but it was not to be.
Read also: WHO, NDDC to fight cholera, moot partnership on free healthcare in oil region
“We have seen the wonderful resolution you people reached. If all of that is implemented, the region would be a wonderful place in the next four years.
“This Government is close to the oil region. The lawmaking process is in our hands. The senate president is from this region, the deputy speaker is from the Niger Delta. Let’s think”, Kalu said.
Most leaders of the region were present at the youth forum which was clearly summoned to convince the people of the region to jettison the nationwide protest.
It is not clear, however, of the youths that attended would convince the ones that did not attend to shun the protest.
