President Bola Tinubu has approved a monthly stipend of N50,000 for 10,000 youths in the Niger Delta to help them cope with present economic problems.
This was revealed by Senate President Godswill Akpabio on Tuesday at the Niger Delta Sensitisation Conference for women, youth, and ethnic nations in Port Harcourt.
The NDDC Youth Intensive Scheme will be used to make the payments, which have a one-year initial duration and the potential for an extension.
Akpabio cautioned against taking part in the August 1 nationwide demonstration, pointing out that this move is a part of Tinubu’s efforts to solve issues in the area.
Sen. Akpabio declared that Tinubu had also given his approval for the coastal highway project from Lagos to Calabar to begin simultaneously in both states. This initiative is anticipated to generate thousands of jobs for the young in the region.
He claimed that the planned nationwide demonstration was planned by unidentified people to cause mayhem and devastation throughout the nation.
He explained, “The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) will implement this scheme immediately to support 10,000 youths with N50,000 monthly to cushion the current hardship.”Â
“We recognize the significant impact of oil and gas activities in the Niger Delta and are taking immediate steps to address these issues. President Tinubu is aware of the economic challenges and is actively addressing them. The national protest’s agenda does not reflect the interests of the Niger Delta. The organisers are merely mimicking the situation in Kenya, risking potential chaos in our country. Current issues are being resolved, making protests unnecessary.”
The president of the senate noted that money was being set aside for vital initiatives that would fulfill the aspirations and requirements of the people living in the Niger Delta. He emphasized that one year was insufficient to assess the effectiveness of the Federal Government’s policies and projects, and he asked for patience as they took effect.
Calls to boycott the planned protestÂ
The House of Representatives’ deputy speaker, Benjamin Kalu, had earlier urged composure and backing for Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
He implored the youths to cement the administration’s accomplishments rather than protest and emphasized the urgent implementation of recommendations from the recent Niger Delta Summit to promote regional development.
Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, the managing director of NDDC, said that Tinubu had already started initiatives to revitalize the economy despite inheriting a very weak one.
He said that under the current Federal Government, the Niger Delta was starting to reap the benefits of long-standing militant agitations for development.Â
