By BASSEY ANTHONY, Uyo

Thousands of youths on Friday staged a peaceful protest along the Ikot Abasi -Port Harcourt portion of the East-West road in Akwa Ibom State.

The youths demanded the position of Executive Director Finance and Administration in the Interim Management Committee(IMC) of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

The position was occupied by Mr. Ibanga Etang, an Akwa Ibom indigene, who died recently reportedly from COVID-19.

The youths, led by chairman of Concerned Youths of Akwa Ibom and his vice, George Eduok and Theophilus Akpan respectively pleaded with President Muhammadu Buhari to replace the late Etang with an Akwa Ibom indigene.

Eduok. who is the chairman of the group, appreciated Buhari for appointing Senator Godswill Akpabio as Niger Delta Affairs minister overseeing the NDDC.

He, however, maintained that justice, fair play and equity will be achieved if the President replaces Etang with an Akwa Ibom person considering the status of the state as the number one oil producing state in the country.

They also passed a vote of confidence on the IMC of the NDDC, describing it as focused and able to deliver on its mandate to transform the Niger Delta region.

“We express our sincere gratitude to President Buhari for appointing our kinsman, Senator Godswill Akpabio as Minister of Niger Delta Affairs.

“Akpabio’s supervisory role in the NDDC has brought about infrastructural explosion as can be seen in massive road construction, water projects and the resuscitation of abandoned projects across the state for decades.

“As much as we grateful to Mr. President we also use this opportunity and medium to appeal to him to allow the IMC complete it’s tenure so they can deliver on the ongoing projects, ” he said. (The Nation)

Update news