President Bola Tinubu has approved a monthly stipend of N50,000 for 10,000 youths in the Niger Delta to alleviate current economic hardships.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced this at the Niger Delta Sensitisation Conference for ethnic nationalities, youths, and women in Port Harcourt on Tuesday.
The payments will be made through the NDDC Youth Intensive Scheme and will last for an initial 12 months, with a possibility of extension.
Akpabio highlighted that this initiative is part of Tinubu’s efforts to address challenges in the region and urged against participating in the national protest scheduled for August 1.
Sen. Akpabio announced that Tinubu has also approved the simultaneous commencement of the Lagos to Calabar coastal highway project from both states, a move expected to create thousands of jobs for the region’s youth.
He said the upcoming national protest was organized by anonymous individuals intending to incite chaos and destruction across the country.
He said, “The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) will implement this scheme immediately to support 10,000 youths with N50,000 monthly to cushion the current hardship.”
“We acknowledge the severe impact caused by oil and gas activities in the Niger Delta and are taking prompt action to address these issues. The economic challenges in our nation are known by President Tinubu and is already receiving required attention to address them,”
“There is nothing in the 10 points agenda for the national protest that captures the interest of the Niger Delta. The organisers are merely copycats imitating the situation in Kenya, not minding the potential anarchy their protest will bring upon this country.”
“The issues facing the country are currently being addressed, and so, there is absolutely no need to protest,”
The senate president pointed out that necessary funds were being allocated for critical projects to meet the needs and dreams of the Niger Delta people. He urged for patience as the Federal Government’s policies and programmes take effect, emphasising that one year was too short a timeframe to measure its success.
Calls to shun proposed protest
- Earlier, Benjamin Kalu, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, had called for calm and support for Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
- He stressed the immediate implementation of resolutions from the recent Niger Delta Summit to accelerate regional development, pleading with the youths not to protest but rather to consolidate the gains made by the administration.
- The NDDC Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, stated that Tinubu had inherited a very bad economy and had already initiated programmes to revive it.
- He noted that the Niger Delta was beginning to see the fruits of long-standing militant agitations for development under the present Federal Government.