A non-governmental or
ganization, the Niger Delta Youth Coalition (NDYC), has called on the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to establish farms in each local government area within the nine NDDC states.
National Co-ordinator of the body, Prince Emmanuel Ogba, who made the call in Port Harcourt, Monday, said the step, if adopted, would provide meaningful engagement to the youths of the region in view of the high rate of unemployment in the area.
“It doesn’t matter what line of agriculture that is established, but it would boost massive employment to the youths.
The NDYC Coordinator noted that the step would boost food production and also be in line with the diversification of the economy being stressed by the present administration.
Ogba regretted that the NDDC had got little or nothing to show for its decades of existence as an interventionist agency in the region.
“All we know about the commission is about billions of contracts projects that have little impact on the lives of the impoverished people of the region.
If NDDC goes into more Okra farm in partnership with a local government for instance, or any other crop or fish, or even any other product line, it would boost food production and generate mass employment”, he said.
Ogba also stated that, when engaged in meaningful agric venture, most youths who had been forced into crime for lack of nothing to do would change for the better and instead of being killed by the security agents, they will live and contribute meaningfully to the economic development of the nation.
“We want NDDC to go into efforts that impact directly on the people particularly the youths and change from multi-billion naira road projects and other white elephant projects, that enrich the pockets of politicians”, he said.

Chris Oluoh