In the face of rising cross boarder terrorism and escalation of violent crimes, dwindling crude prices in the global market, progressive decimation of our currency and economic uncertainties plauqing developing nations, the National Association of Nigerian Students(NANS) has tasked the President Buhari led Federal government of Nigeria to consider the holistic development of the oil rich Niger Delta region as a topmost priority of the administration.
The Nigerian students body which prides itself as ‘the largest youth movement in the entire Black world’ has further advocated for an inclusive special development plan to cater for critical infrastructure, environmental sustainability, livelihood improvement, economic diversification and regional integration needs for the people of the area. In the specifics, NANS wants the government to endorse quick completion of deep seaports and a work class Maritime university in the area, as well as presidential intervention to complete the East West road and construction of water highway/light rail system and industrial parks across the Niger Delta.
These and other advocacy stands were advanced by Comrade Aquila Otobong Akpan, Chairman of NANS Joint Campus Committee, Akwa Ibom axis penultimate week at Port Harcourt in a chat with newsmen shortly after presenting the Akwa Ibom State position paper during plenary session of the just concluded Pan Niger Delta Youth Dialogue organised by the Niger Delta legacy forum in partnership with Stakeholders Democracy Network and the United States State Department.
According to Comrade Akpan, herself the first ever female State Chairman of NANS in the country, “we appreciate the hPresident’s hands are full with pressing matters bordering on ending insurgency in the North East, reintegrating the victims and displaced persons, strengthening government institutions to abhor corrupt practises and provision of jobs for our teeming unemployed youths, but we also want Mr. President to prioritize the complete environmental audit, clean up and development of quality transportation and other industrial infrastructures across the niger delta region”. Said her further, “NANS is not pleased with the slow pace of the East west road/ light rail projects, and the total dearth of water transportation facilities as well as industrial parks and affordable large scale housing projects in this area. We want the Federal government to stimulate the development of the area by adopting the Seaports in Ibaka(Akwa Ibom) and Sapele(Delta) and complete upgrade of Oron Maritime Academy to a world class Maritime University”, describing the NIMASA funded proposed Maritime University in Delta State as ‘a misplaced priority to which taxpayers N14b has already been wrongly appropriated and perhaps wasted so far’.
At the event,delegations youth from the Niger Delta States presented the reports of their state level engagements which preceded the Port Harcourt converge and focused on emerging opportunities for sustainable economic growth and regional stability, and at the end, were unanimous in their call for special presidential attention for the region who ‘has suffered significant environmental and economic effects from exploration crude oil exploration’.
The Akwa Ibom team which was ably led by Tijah Bolton-Akpan, a renowned development practitioner/ Ag. Executive Director of PolicyAlert, an economic justice/governance civil society group also included; Courage Mbon, frontline media practitioner, Aquila Otobong Akpan, student activist/ State NANS Chairman, Uduak Nseabasi, social entrepreneur/ media strategist. Others were, Ekwere Ekwere, Agropreneur/ CEO of E&E Integrated Services, Supreme Okon of Progressive Youth Network and a host of other youth leaders.
The weeklong event which held at the Royal Banquet Hall of the Hotel Presidential and other designated centers featured Networking/Dinner Evening, Focused group/panel discussions, plenary sessions, paper presentations, excursion, making of the film ‘Dawn In The Creeks’ and a world press conference. According to the organisers, ‘the awaiting concern of the Dialogue is to stimulate a pro Niger Delta consciousness among Nigerians, set a regional development agenda for the present administration and mobilize the people themselves to lead their economic recovery and adaptability’.
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