Niger Delta Ministry to create Youth Department

By Komolafe Rasheed, Lagos updated: Tuesday 03-02-2009

AS part of measures to stem the incessant youth restiveness in the Niger Delta, the Minister of the Niger Delta, Chief Ufot Ekaette, has announced plans to create youth department in the ministry.

He said the establishment of the department was nece-ssary so as to re-orientate the youth against incessant crisis in the oil-rich region.

Ekaete said at the weekend in Lagos during a meeting with executives of oil companies in Nigeria that the proposed youth depart-ment would explore other areas the youth can channel their potentials on instead of brewing crisis in the region.

He said the crisis, which was being spearheaded by the youth in the region, would do the nation more harm and implored the youth to evolve a paradigm shift in their approach towards development issues.

The minister urged oil companies in the country to redefine their corporate social responsibilities in a way that more youths in the volatile area would be given job opportunities, thus giving room for the development of the Niger Delta.

He further advocated the need for oil companies in the country to involve the people of their host communities on projects with a view to giving them sense of belonging.

Ekaete said he was determined to use the new ministry to arrest the crisis in the Niger Delta through a long-approach and also appealed to oil companies to partner with the Federal government in this drive.

The minister, who spoke on the relationship between his ministry and the Niger Delta Development Commi-ssion (NDDC), dismissed insinuations that there was overlaping of functions between the two institutions, saying the NDDC was statutorily a parastatal agency under the ministry of Niger Delta.