WARRI — ITSEKIRI National Youths Council, INYC, has said the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs is undermining the Itsekiri in the implementation of Federal Government projects meant for the oil-rich region.

In an open letter to President Goodluck Jonathan, made available to Vanguard, the group said, “we are at a loss as to why we remain victims of such official raw alienation and disdain except that Elder Godsday Orubebe is again at work and making real his anti-Itsekiri disposition”.

In the letter by Mr. David Tonwe and Mr. Isaac Dorsu, INYC National President and National Secretary, respectively, the group thanked President Jonathan for directing the Minister of Niger-Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe, “to rescind his (Orubebe) earlier decision of relocating the 20 housing units proposed for Itsekiri ethnic nation to add to the 20 units for Ijaw ethnic group.”

However, the group described the delay in the take-off of the Ode-Itsekiri housing project as deliberate.

Meanwhile, a look at recent advertorials in a national publication on the Ministry’s intention to execute some projects in the Niger Delta, INYC said, shows that “not a single project is earmarked for the Itsekiri nation, despite the fact that we occupy second position in terms of oil-bearing ethnic groups with the Ijaw ethnic nation occupying first position.”

Stating that Itsekiri communities equally deserve to benefit from water and road projects, which have been denied them, they pleaded with the President to call Elder Orubebe to order and, among other things, ask “contractors who have received mobilisation funds to immediately be directed to move to site at Ode-Itsekiri and the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs directed to publish a supplementary advertisement of projects for Itsekiri lands.”