The National President of Niger Delta Youths for Practical Development, Amb. Prince Tonye Jeminimiema said in the 13 years of democracy, Rivers State government has not convinced him on youths empowerment and human capacity development.
Prince T.J made this remarks when briefing The Newswriter in Port Harcourt during the democracy day. He expressed total regret on the commitments of the state government on youths empowerment.
The Peace Ambassador further maintained that the state government is still toying with the resources of the state where more than 85% of the youths in Rivers State could not boast of empowerment, describing the situation as lack of vision for the teaming youth population.
Prince T.J further stressed that the state government under the leadership of Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has derailed in focus to tackle the fast growing state of unemployment in the state, giving wrong signal in a state blessed with oil.
He appeal to the state government to redirect her polices and programmes towards youths employment and empowerment than multibillion naira projects that have no bearing with the youths of the state.
The Peace Ambassador also narrated that investment on intensive farming in all parts of the state could engender and speed youths employment. He urged the state government to boast of any intensive farming in the state or a proposed that could employ at least 50 youths in a given community or local government, rather than focusing all the resources of the state on urban beautification, destroying and rebuilding. He persistently condemned the ongoing monorail project by the state government and appealed to the governor to review and revisit the economic impact of the monorail to the Rivers people considering the buildings to be displaced to give right of way to the monorail and advised the state government to channel the fund for youth employment.
Hear him, “even the federal government find it very difficult to maintain trains moving on the ground, and if something moving on the ground could not be maintained is it what is moving above the ground that could be easily maintained? He asked.
He continued “there is no doubt that the monorail project definitely will displace very many buildings within the Aba Road axis, especially from Garrison to Shell. Consider the colossal amount of money involved to compensate a building and the demolition of that building. How much will Rivers people achieve from monorail transportation within the Aba Road express? So yours truly, it is an illogical decision at the expense of the people. Please the state government should suspend the project now that the project has not gone so far.”
He said as a president and commander of the youths in Niger Delta he will never relent to criticize the ongoing monorail project until RSG reviewed her decision on the monorail project.
Here him again, “after all there are many ways to gain from projects but the monorail project is a rape and assault on the resources of the state.”
He further used the medium to congratulate governor Amaechi for adding another year to his life and wished happy democracy day to all youths of Niger Delta and happy democracy day to Mr. President and Nigeria. ###
Alakpakabie Tobin
