The leadership of a coalition of Niger Delta Youth Organizations has described as provocative and insensitive, the decision by the Nigerian Liquefied Natural gas (NLNG) to locate its $1.5 billion drydock project in Badagry, Lagos State.
The group, which  said this at a press briefing in Port Harcourt, also threatened to mobilize thousands of youth across the region to stage a protest in every NLNG Operational Community unless the decision was reversed by the company.
The text for the briefing, which was read by the leader of Bonny Youth Federation, Barrister Simeon Wilcox, also described as false, NLNG’s claims, that it is only a facilitator and not sponsor of the project.
“Our initial grievance was predicated on the fact that NLNG decided, against all odds, to construct a dry-dock worth $1.5 billion in an area outside its operational base and region.
“Secondly, the company did a Kangaroo feasibility study without the knowledge of the stakeholders from Rivers State, and indeed, Niger Delta whose interest should have been incorporated ab initio,” he said.
According to the group, NLNG down-played the interest of the third party stakeholders by not considering the huge infrastructural deficit of the said project.
“Similarly, they failed to consider the people who bear the consequences of pollution arising from flared gas, environmental degradation, huge vessel wave actions resulting to shoreline depletion, thereby denying fishermen their only source of livelihood,” they said.
The group further said that the entire youth of the region can no longer wallow in abject poverty and brazen unemployment in the midst of plenty, while siting of strategic industries that should add value and alleviate their sufferings were taken away as a result of corporate decision which does not support the concept and principles of Corporate Social Responsibility.
Also speaking, the Secretary General of Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), World Wide, Dr. Bristol Alagbarigha Emmanuel, said that the management of NLNG had betrayed the confidence of the critical stakeholders, adding that the youth have already been mobilized to disrupt the company’s operations in the region.
Also at the briefing were, Chairman, Finima Youth Congress and Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer and Salvation Front, Comrade Ala Hart, Chairman Rivers Ethnic Youth Leaders Coalition, Livingstone Membere, Sukubo Sara-Igbe Sukubo, Chairman, National Youth Council, Rivers State amongst others.