The 15th anniversary of the Niger Delta National Youth and Development Stakeholders Forum, in conjunction with the 10th Regional Stakeholders Retreat, Training, and Dialogue, began in Akure, the Ondo State capital, on Tuesday.
The four-day event, under the theme ‘Collaborating with Youth and Development Stakeholders in the Niger Delta for Peace, Security, and Development,’ attracted eminent government officials from both federal and state levels, policymakers, and youth leaders from the nine Niger Delta States of the nation.
Representing the host Governor, Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC) Secretary, Princess Abike Bayo-Ilawole, said the objective of the development stakeholders’ meeting was to unlock the Niger Delta’s potential, foster peace and security, and facilitate sustainable development in the resource-abundant regions.
The governor expressed concern over the myriad of challenges obstructing developmental initiatives by successive administrations, which have impeded the pace of infrastructural transformation in the region. According to him, these challenges include sabotage, oil theft, insecurity, and youth restiveness, primarily driven by unemployment, economic deprivation, and environmental degradation.
Aiyedatiwa urged the youths to eschew all forms of violence and to articulate their concerns peacefully to the government by presenting collaborative ideas that will enhance the Niger Delta region.
“The restoration of peace and security alone in the region will create a conducive environment for the government to address the legitimate grievances of the youth. This must be enforced firmly, uncompromisingly, yet objectively. It must then be succeeded by sincere and constructive engagement of the people in dialogue with the government.”
“True representatives of the region can be mobilised through grassroots consultation and community involvement. This will foster transparency and build confidence in the government’s relationship with the people.”
The governor stated that OSOPADEC, as an interventionist agency, was striving to create opportunities for the youth through agri-business and aquaculture to generate wealth and achieve self-reliance. He said: “OSOPADEC is implementing measures for skill acquisition programs in fish farming, crop cultivation, and animal husbandry. These are in addition to the numerous intervention initiatives the government is undertaking in the areas of road construction, provision of potable water, electricity, shoreline protection, and land reclamation.
“The commission has also finalised plans to secure grants and loans for interested youths through the Nigerian Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (NASMEs) and The Bank of Industry Limited (BOI) as part of our administration’s financial strategies to enhance the lives of the youth in the Niger Delta region.”
He encouraged the youth not to leave security matters solely to security personnel, emphasizing that a peaceful atmosphere in the region can only be achieved through a collective effort.
The Niger Delta National Youth Development Stakeholders Forum customarily brings together Youth Development Stakeholders from the nine oil-producing states of the federation, which include Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Imo, Ondo, and Rivers, to discuss and interact with key actors in government, civil society, and the private sector to evaluate past and present development activities in the region and to articulate a proactive action plan for continuous partnership with youth, peace builders, and development stakeholders in Nigeria.
