IYC gives oil firms seven days to evacuate workers from platforms

Dikio charges ex-agitators on unity, peace in Niger Delta
Following its ultimatum to the Federal Government on the appointment of substantive board for the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) has given a seven-daynotice to International Oil Companies (IOCs) to evacuate their workers from all oil installations in the Niger Delta region.

IYC President, Peter Igbifa, who spoke with newsmen at the annual Boro Day celebration in Yenagoa, also admonished the IOCs and other oil companies owned by Nigerians to prepare to leave the Niger Delta.

He said this was to further stress its decision to shut down all oil exploration activities in the Niger Delta region if a substantive board of the NDDC board was not inaugurated after the 30-day ultimatum, which has eight days to lapse.

Igbifa also urged the IOCs to evacuate their personnel from the oil platforms to avoid casualties during the shut down, adding: “We will not carry gun and chase anybody, but we will stand on our right until our demand for substantive board of the NDDC is met.

MEANWHILE, Interim Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Col. Milland Dikio (rtd.), has urged the Ijaw ethnic nationality to embrace unity and sustain the peace in the Niger Delta in honour of the late Isaac Adaka Boro.

Dikio, who stated this at the Boro Day celebration in Yenagoa, pointed out that the liberation Boro fought and died for could only be achieved through dialogue, lobbying, collaboration and unity.

He said in honour of the hero of Ijaw struggle, all stakeholders in the region should come together and work for the development of the Niger Delta.

He insisted that with its rich endowments, the region could only attain the aspirations of the late Boro if all stakeholders closed ranks and work in harmony, adding: “In his later days, Boro became known as a rebel with a cause, which dovetailed into an armed struggle.”

He also admonished ex- agitators in the Niger Delta Region to create a friendly atmosphere for businesses to thrive in the region.

Dikio gave the charge yesterday in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, while inaugurating the repentant militants into a new committee on improvement of Strategic Communications of PAP.

He said this would encourage industries that left the region to return and for more investors to come in and invest to address unemployment challenges in the region.