Wake-up call for Ijaw youths on life-changing ideas

Niger Delta youths got a wake-up a call yesterday from Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Coordinator, Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Prof Charles Dokubo.

They were urged to think out of the box by initiating life-changing ideas through the PAP not only to improve on their lives but the communities and the environment they live in.

Prof Dokubo spoke in Abuja, when he received a document, “The Ijaw youth development strategy and action plan 2019—2023: Nine goals to transform ourselves and our future”, a strategic document produced by the Ijaw Youth Consultative Forum (IYCF).

The document offers a nine-goal development action plan to be achieved within four years.

A statement by his spokesman Murphy Ganagana, said the special adviser promised to create a platform for collaboration and exploration of the ideas and plans in the development plan and urged youth of Niger Delta to initiate and proffer responsive ideas, plans, programmes and solutions to better their lives through the instrumentality of the Federal Government’s Amnesty Programme.

The statement reads: “It is interesting for me to listen to this conversation. It is good for young men and women of my area to sit down and do something good like this. I’m also happy in the sense that this is different from what we are used to.

“It is not crying for no payment of stipends or calling for removal of Charles Dokubo. The fact is that as people of Niger Delta, it is now we’ve realised what we need and also what we can make use of within the ambit of this programme has been provided to us.”

Dokubo admonished the youths to always go beyond viewing the PAP and other similar special purpose agencies of the Federal Government mere monthly stipend paying bodies instead of authorities that they should always constructively engage with development ideas and plans that would impact on their lives, families, communities and the nation.

It went on: “There is no part of this country that has more agencies than the Niger Delta. No part of this country has a Ministry attached to that place. It is not about all these things.

The IYCF Executive Director, Tonte Ibraye, said  group was formed and registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) to work for the development of Ijaw nation to the benefit its youth. He noted that IYCF’s strategic action plan aligns with both Federal Government’s policies and United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).