A group under the aegis of Consolidated Youths of Niger Delta (CYND) on Sunday warned ex-Niger Delta agitators to withdraw the seven-day ultimatum given to the new board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) over non payment of contract,
‘the water hyacinth jobs’ awarded to themby the Commission.
The ex-militants led by one General Izon Ebi, had threatened to shut down the NDDC offices within seven days, if the Prof. Nelson Brambaifa –led board fails to pay them after executing the contract.
“The NDDC board should do the needful and commence payment for the jobs immediately to stem youths’ restiveness that may lead to bloodshed, loss of lives and destruction of properties in the region”, Izon had warned NDDC board.
But the CYND group made up of youths drawn from the nine states of the region led by its National Coordinator, Comrade Frank Naday, expressed dismay at the action, noting that “this is not the time for the region to be drawn into another round of conflagration as the Federal Government led by President Muhammadu Buhari strives to douse tension through systematic empowerment of the youths through the NDDC”.
In a statement made available to Newsmen in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state capital on Sunday, the group said, “since the emergence of this current Prof. Brambaifa-led NDDC board, over 5,000 youths have benefitted from the water hyacinth jobs and other empowerment schemes”.
He warned that they would respond appropriately if the ex-militants ignore the voices of reason and carry out their threats to disrupt the agency’s activities.
“We are aware that the Acting Managing Director (MD) of the Commission, Prof. Nelson Brambaifa, and his team are working very hard to make more payments to those who are yet to receive their water hyacinth jobs and other empowerment programmes”, Naday added.
He urged the former agitators to reciprocate the Federal Government’s gesture by maintaining peace in the region as President Buhari has shown more commitment to address the challenges of development that has been plaguing the region in time past.
The group also appealed to President Buhari to confirm Brambaifa as the substantive Managing Director of the Commission, saying such “gesture would further strengthen his position to administer the NDDC without fear or favour.”
