Ogoni youths threaten to occupy NNPCL office over non-funding of FUET
The youths of Ogoni in Rivers State have written to the Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), notifying him of their plan to occupy the gate of
The youths of Ogoni in Rivers State have written to the Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), notifying him of their plan to occupy the gate of his office in protest of his alleged refusal to fund the Federal University of Environment and Technology (FUET) situated in Ogoniland.
The youths under the auspices of the Ogoni Youths Development Initiatives (OYDI) said they were deeply sad that the NNPCL had failed to fund the FUET.
In a letter signed by the Global President of OYDI, Imeabe Saviour Oscar, the youths stated that as part of the confidence-building measures for resuming oil exploration in Ogoni, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, after establishing FUET, mandated NNPCL to take over the school's renovation and fund its take-off.
The youths said, "However, we note with great dismay the refusal of NNPCL to heed to Mr. President's directive, as it has refused to pay contractors executing various projects on the campus, leading to many projects being abandoned and contractors locking out students and lecturers from accessing some facilities due to non-payment.
"So many students are currently without hostels, classroom blocks, and laboratories for studies. Everything about project execution is now at a stalemate in the school.
"We frown deeply at this deliberate action by the NNPCL to truncate the smooth take-off of the institution by reneging on the agreement between the Ogoni people and the president.
"Other institutions established around the same time as FUET by the Federal Government have got funding for their operations, but FUET has yet to get. As a body, we are being forced to view this as a deceit or deliberate action by the NNPCL to breach the terms of agreement with the Ogoni people".
The youths gave NNPCL a seven-day ultimatum to immediately release funds for payment of the contractors and development of the institution.
They vowed to occupy the gates of the NNPCL if, after seven days, the company failed to send the required funds to the university.
"We are non-violent, but we won't allow our inheritance and the fruit of the labours of our slain heroes suffer neglect and abandonment," they said.
