Coalition Urges NDDC To Implement Youth Empowerment Programmes

The Leader, Coalition of Niger Delta Youths, Comrade
Kingsley Wonodi, has called on the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to
implement their youth empowerment programmes to the letter.

Comrade Wonodi, who made the call during the 2012
International Youth Day celebration held in Port Harcourt recently said the
commission has been given September 30, 2012, as deadline to implement their
plans for the youths in their budget for the year.

According to him, implementation of the budget would
re-orientate the youths to focus their mindset as future leaders of tomorrow.

He noted that Niger Delta youths are determined to take
their destiny in their hands, stressing that they should be considered as
decision makers that constitute high population. The youth leader, however,
enjoined youths to shun acts inimical to the development society in agitating
for their rights, but to be law abiding and peaceful for the development of the
region.

In his address, the National President of Rivers State Youth
Federation (RSYF), Comrade Adokiye Ogonobere frowned at various governments and
organizations for not considering the youths in the formulation and
implementation of policies and programmes that are of concern to their welfare.

“We are most disappointed by the attitude of the government
in this regard as the youths are consistently short-changed with mere lip
service and rhetoric instead of seeing to it that programmes and policies that
enhance the sustainable development of the youth are put in place to enable a
secure future”, he said.

Comrade Ogonobere commended the new management of NDDC for
the successes so far achieved, and expressed displeasure over the delay in the
release of the outstanding N500 billion owed NDDC by the Federal Government as
it is hampering the effective administration of the commission.

Collins Barasimeye