The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), says it will no longer condone incessant gas flaring and lackadaisical practices of local and International Oil Companies (IOCs) in the Niger Delta region.
The President of the Council, Dr. Theophilus Alaye made this known in Port Harcourt after taking over from the immediate past president of the council, Deacon Peter Igbifa.
Alaye in a statement issued Tuesday said gas flaring and venting has been a significant environmental, economic, health and social concern for the people of the region for many years.
He stated: “As president of the council, I will agitate for resource control beyond oil and gas. We have been undermined for too long.”
“We are in an era where policies of the government are anti-Ijaw and undermine our collective contribution to national sustainable development.”
The President, therefore, urged the government to explore areas where the region has comparative advantage in order to ameliorate the uncontrollable suffering of the people.
He said, “In my government, political players in the Niger Delta region must up their game in the discharge of their political duties to project the concerns of the region as we shall be asking questions of stewardship and contributions to the development of the region.”
Alaye noted that his mandate as the 9th president of the Ijaw nation was to promote, defend and demand justice for his people.
He added: “It is abysmal when our rich water bodies are abandoned, and we see ship berths in Lagos, when we have the best seaport in West Africa. What we keep hearing is that our environment is not safe enough, this must stop under my watch as president of council as we demand activation of our seaport.
“I must state it clearly that we will no longer condone incessant gas flaring and lackadaisical practices of the IOCs that has cost us a lot as a people.
“We shall strive to maintain the stability in the council and the Ijaw nation under my leadership.”
Earlier, the immediate President, Igbifa, urged Alaye to be steadfast and avoid unnecessary distraction in his commitment to set the Council on the right path.
