The Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Gov Siminialaye Fubara of Rivers to prioritise the development of the Niger Delta and Ijaw communities in Rivers.

The IYC President, Peter Timothy Igbifa, in a statement on Thursday, June 1, 2023, to congratulate the duo of Tinubu and Fubara on their inaugurations, also canvassed for massive youth empowerment in the region.

Igbifa appealed to Fubara to undertake road projects that would link riverine communities to facilitate movements of goods and services and speed up the overall development of the state.

He said the Rivers State Governor should develop a new city in the riverine area that would have all the trappings of living in Port Harcourt.

Igbifa urged Fubara to prioritise job creation, employment opportunities and youth empowerment programmes to effectively engage the youths as the best means of fighting crimes in the state.

On Fubara, he said: “We congratulate you, Sir, Siminialaye Fubara, on his inauguration as the Governor of Rivers State. This is time for governance.

“We are calling on the Governor to pay attention to creation of jobs, employment opportunities and massive empowerment programmes for youths in Rivers State because we believe that adequate engagements of youths will help to fight crimes in the state.

“We further urge him to carry out integrated development of the rural communities in Rivers State and to consider building a modern city in such areas. The Governor should create roads to link the rural communities and consider developing the ancient town of Opobo and other Ijaw communities into modern cities.”

On the Presidency, Igbifa while extolling the qualities of Tinubu, called on the President to adequately fund the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and the Ministry of the Niger Delta to propel the development of the region.

He urged Tinubu to turn the Niger Delta into a massive construction site by ensuring the completion of all abandoned projects in all the states that make up the region.

Igbifa called for the declaration of state of emergency on the East-West road, saying the people would be eternally grateful to Tinubu if his Presidency could immediately complete the abandoned road.

“We are happy that Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been inaugurated as the President of our great country. We do not doubt his capacity. We, therefore, call on him to prioritise the development of the Niger Delta.

“The IYC wants Tinubu to declare a state of emergency on the East-West road. The road should be completed immediately.

“The remapping of Akwa Ibom State should stop immediately and the all the abandoned projects, especially roads in various states of the region should be completed,” Igbifa said.

The IYC President further appealed to Tinubu to appoint Ijaw people into key positions in his government to give them a sense of belonging, adding: “We are calling on the President to develop a seaport in the Niger Delta. It is long overdue. He should also strengthen and expand the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) to engage more youths.”

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