By Emem Idio, Yenagoa

Stakeholders in the Niger Delta have been called upon to desist from making negative public statements against leaders from the region occupying strategic national positions.

The National Spokesman of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Comrade Bedford Berefa, made the appeal in a statement issued in Yenagoa on Tuesday while reacting to recent calls for the removal of Engr. Felix Ogbe as Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB).

Berefa described the trend of tarnishing leaders’ reputations for selfish interests as destructive, stressing that such acts only fuel disunity and hinder the region’s development.

“We must change our strategy. We cannot continue to fight ourselves. Ethnic bigotry cannot help us. It is when we come together that we can achieve our purpose,” he said.

He commended Ogbe’s leadership of the NCDMB, noting that under his stewardship, local content development had recorded growth, with over 100 youths trained in various skills. He urged that the NCDMB boss be allowed to focus on his mandate rather than being distracted.

Berefa also called on Niger Delta youths to invest their energy in training and certification programs that would prepare them for opportunities in the oil and gas sector.

“Never sell scholarship slots or opportunities for training and workshops. Youths should learn so they can train others. Let us focus on self-development so that tomorrow we can occupy strategic positions in the country,” he advised.

The IYC spokesman further appealed to stakeholders to rally support for the leadership of the NCDMB, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), and other Ijaw leaders working for the advancement of the region.