Ijaw/Itsekiri Youths To FG: N13billion Escravos Bar Dredging Critical To Us, Don’t Abandon

Ijaw and Itsekiri youths have called on the Federal Government not to abandon the dredging of the N13 billion Escravos bar of the Warri Port in Delta state, saying that the project is critical to economic wellbeing of the state.

The youths spoke separately during the joint sensitization campaign on the project by Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), and Itsekiri National Youth Council (INYC), held at the NPA New Port Gate, Warri, commercial nerve centre of the state.

Speaking at the event, the youth leaders said that they were doing everything possible to ensure the project commences without hitches.

They said they would guide the project jealously because it would go a long way to revive the moribund Warri economy and other neighboring states.

“We welcome the news of the award of the contract for the dredging of the Escravos bar to Warri Port but we want to appeal to the federal government to ensure its completion, the leaders said.

Ijaw and Itsekiri youth groups had on Sunday May13, 2018 as part of measures to ensure hitch free operations by the contractor that would handle the dredging project, set up committee to take proactive steps to sensitize communities on the need to cooperate with the contractor and government to ensure a timely and hitch free execution of the project.

In a joint statement issued after the awareness campaign on Thursday, Presidents of the IYC and INYC: Messrs Eric Omare and Weyinmi Agbateyiniro respectively said; “You will agree with us that youths community related hostilities account for the inability of government to carry out some development project in the Niger Delta region.

This insecurity, the youth groups said mainly accounts for the non-usage of the eastern ports including the Warri port, adding, however that these hostilities are mostly due to lack of engagement of critical stakeholders in the areas concern in the execution of developmental projects.

The groups said that committee have been mandated to carry out sensitization campaign across all the impacted communities along the Escravos to Warri river on the importance of the dredging project to the economic revival of Warri.

“To Act as a standing committee to proactively resolve conflicts that may arise in the course of the execution of the dredging project between the contractor and communities

The statement said the committee would go round the affected communities and hold sensitization meetings on the importance of the project with youths and other stakeholders including traditional rulers in addition to acting as standing committee to resolve communities and company issues.

Chairman of Warri South Local government chairman, Hon Michael Tidi said that the event was apt going by the fact that the Council just held a Warri Business Summit few weeks ago, saying, “the dredging of the rivers would boost economic wellbeing of Warri. I want to admonished the youths to give peace a chance so that Warri can rise again”.

Speaking at the event, IYC’s President, Eric Omare said that the sensitization campaign was designed to show to the world that youths of the area are ready for the project.

Omare said; “We at here to demonstrate to the world that Warri is safe for economic activities. We are here to demonstrate to the world that this port is ready for business.

“We are here to also demonstrate to the world that there’s peace and oneness among Ijaw and Itsekiri youths and that this project must go on without interference and disturbance of companies that would come to Warri”, Omare added.

INYC’s President, Agbateyiniro said, “We are going to jealously guide this project to fruition. We have set up sensitization committee to reach out to stakeholders to support this project.

“We want to appeal to the federal government that they must not abandon this project like other projects that are abandoned in the Niger Delta region”, he warned.

Manager of Nigerian Port Authority (NPA) Warri, Mr. Simeon .O. Okeke, said the management of the port was fully in support of the awareness initiative and urged the youths not to disturb the project when it commence.

“We hold this occasion at heart. We can’t function without peace and the project cannot hold without peace. There have been proposal to dredged this Escravos bar but it has never work. Awarding the contract is one thing, executing it is another so please don’t disturb the contractor when he gets to site.

“This sensitization project should be taken to all nook and crannies of the riverine communities. The programme is not only to sensitize the people for the project but also to make the port to work”.

BigPen Online had recalled that the Escravos Bar dredging is part of measures being put in place to make the seaport commercially viable, but neglect of the port had impeded the coming in of big vessels and other ocean going barges to Warri Port.

Story by Julius Eras-Olabowu