Empowerment can curb crime, restiveness in Niger Delta – Forum

 

The Niger Delta National Youth Leaders and Stakeholders Forum have called on the Federal Government to complete all abandoned empowerment projects in the Niger Delta region.

This, it said  was the only way to create jobs and curb crime and youth restiveness the area.

Speaking at a press conference on Friday in Abuja, the forum’s  President, Felix Ihonre, said empowerment of jobless youths could reduce violence and crimes in the Niger Delta and other parts of the country.

He noted that the youths constituted a large percentage of the population of the region, many of whom he said were being used to perpetrate crime and violence by unscrupulous individuals.

The youth leader said it is important  for the government to implement pro-youths programmes and projects across the country as a way of curbing the growing agitations and clamour for secession.

Ihonre advised the government to strengthen the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs in order to meet the yearnings of the people of the oil rich region.

“If the abandoned projects are completed, they would provide jobs for the youths  and this would help in curbing violence, militancy and youth restiveness in the Niger Delta; The youths need empowerment and we want the government to empower non-violent youths across the country,” he said.

Ihonre explained that his group is coordinating over 70 youth groups in the Niger Delta and demanded their inclusion in the government empowerment programmes and projects.

“These youths will in turn, naturally engage in protecting public infrastructure, contractors and workers of companies operating in the region,” he added. punch