Youths urge Fed Govt to fund tech varsity in Ogoni land
Youths of Ogoni in Rivers State have urged the Federal Government to fund the Federal University of Environment and Technology (FUET) in Ogoniland. They wrote to the Group Managing Director
Youths of Ogoni in Rivers State have urged the Federal Government to fund the Federal University of Environment and Technology (FUET) in Ogoniland.
They wrote to the Group Managing Director of Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), notifying him of their plan to occupy the gate of his office to protest against the non-funding of the institution.
The youths, in the letter signed by the Global President of Ogoni Youths Development Initiatives (OYDI), Imeabe Saviour Oscar, said as part of the confidence-building measures for the resumption of oil exploration in Ogoni, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, after establishing FUET, mandated NNPCL to take over the renovation of the school and fund its take-off.
The youths expressed deep sadness that the NNPCL had yet to fund the FUET as directed by the President.
The youths said: “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 received funding for itheiroperations, but FUET is yet to get.
Read Also: LASTMA deploys advanced technology to improve road safety in Lagos
“We are being forced to view this as a deceit or deliberate action by the NNPCL to breach the terms of the 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.
NNPCL’s Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Andy Odeh, could not be reached.
Our reporter called him many times and sent him a WhatsApp message, which he acknowledged and promised to call back.
After over five hours of waiting for his call, our reporter called again about three times, but he did not pick up.
Our reporter sent him another message to remind him of his promise, but he had yet to respond as of press time.
