By Emma Amaize

WARRI—A group of youths and agitators in the Niger Delta region, yesterday, entreated the Federal Government to  urgently implement the Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF’s 16-point demand  and the 25-point palliatives proposed by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo,  to preserve the current three-month ceasefire by the Niger Delta Avengers, NDA and other militants in the region.

Cross section of PANDEF Members during a meeting between PANDEF and the Presidency

The coalition, under the auspices of the 21st Century Youths of Niger Delta, in a statement by its spokesperson, W O I Izonebi, called on senators, members of House of Representatives, political leaders and elder statesmen to prevail on the Federal Government to start doing things right in the Niger Delta.

Its words: “We are, therefore, demanding for equity and justice in the deployment of the resources God has placed in our land. We want the Federal Government to urgently reciprocate the same gesture on the 16- point agreement reached with PANDEF and its 25- point palliatives and immediately reconstitute a new NDDC board that is apolitical to drive the development of the Niger Delta.”

Commending the Federal Government for the approval of $1 billion from the Excess Crude Account to fight Boko Haram in the North-East, it said: “We urge the Federal Government to do the same in the Niger Delta that is generating the funds because anything short of that will brew a new crisis in the Niger Delta.

“We appeal to our distinguished senators, House of Representatives members, political leaders and elder statesmen, most especially the PANDEF, to prevail on the Federal Government to start doing things right in the Niger Delta for equity and justice.

“We want to warn the Federal Government to be very sincere and honest with the way it manages the resources that come from our region.  We cannot be impoverished, underdeveloped and denied right to life with pollution and degradation going on all over the Niger Delta when it uses resources generated from our land to develop a section of the country.”