Protesters at 17 Storey NCDMB Tower in Yenagoa

 

Ijaw Youths leadership backs Bayelsa protesters

…Gives 24hrs deadline to NCDMB to resolves all lingering crisis with host community.

BY DANIEL EFE/YENAGOA

The leadership of the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) Worldwide has issued  24 hours ultimatum to Federal Government and management of Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) to resolve the crisis between board and the protesting Swali community of face dire consequences the ljaw youths.

National Spokeman of Ijaw Youths Council, Comrade Ebilade Ekerefe who met with hundreds of aggrieved indigenes of the Swali community in Yenagoa Local Government Council area of the State had on Wednesday, September 23, shutdown the official business of at the 17 Storey Tower over allege exclusion from the employment process of the board.

Comrade Ebilade Ekerefe, while addressing the crowd of Protesters, said the IYC leadership led by the Comrade Peter Timothy Igbifa, will intervene for the management of the NCDMB to attend to the demands and plights of the swali community indigenes.

National Spokeman of Ijaw Youths Council, Comrade Ebilade Ekerefe who met with hundreds of aggrieved indigenes of the Swali community at gate of NCDMB Tower, Yenagoa.

Protesters from Swali community Yenagoa at the NCDMB gate listening to IYC Spokesman, Ebilade Ekerefe 

According to Ebilade “It is clearly avoidable because the community has written series of letters from the briefs we have gotten to interface with the management of NCDMB to put forward their demands and until now there has been no response and has generated to the socio-economic blockade here in the NCDMB building.”

” So as Ijaw Ijaw youth council, we are very concerned because the NCDMB building is in the heathland of the Ijaw nation and this is Bayelsa. Few months ago(precisely Thursday, August 13,2020) this NCDMB was commissioned for full operation by President Muhammadu Buhari and you could see that from the beginning from the foundation of this building to the finishing level, the swali community and other Ijaw indigenes have been fully incorporated and they have given them the opportunity to erect this building.”

“We are calling on the management of NCDMB not to fail in their responsibility to manage their host community, we are saying this should be done in less than 24 hours.

” Less than 24 hours because it is becoming a national embarrassment to the Ijaw nation. And failure to do that the Ijaw nation will have no option than to further put pressure on the management in ensuring that this situation is been addressed.

” So let me assure you the indigenes of Swali community that we are here with you in solidarity because you are an Ijaw community and we cannot allow any agency in whatever guise to fail in their responsibility of attending to your yearnings and aspirations” .

He thanked security agencies and the Bayelsa State Government for not being manipulated by anybody to stop Protesters  from carrying out this peaceful protest.

He also called on the protesting Swali Community indigenes not to take laws into their hands and continue to be peaceful,” Continue to show understanding that we are here to support you to resolving this problem.

However, former General Manager of Bayelsa State Publishing Corporation, Yenagoa and Publisher of a Local tabloid, IzonLink, Egbegi Alfred, cautioned the IYC and Swali community to apply diplomacy and not show of power.

“It will not take the FG a blink to closedown the place and relocate it back to Abuja, citing security reasons. Make una dey continue. These things are down diplomatically. Every thing is not power ooo!” He posted on Facebook.