Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs condemn protest against training/empowerment programme for displace Bakassi youths and women

The Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs has condemned the protest organised by some people in Cross River state against ongoing training and empowerment programme for displaced Bakassi youth and women.

The organisers of the protest had on Wednesday stage a protest against the training and empowerment programme organised by the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs for displaced Bakassi youths and women, saying the programme does not reflect the interest of the affected people.

According to a statement issued by the Director of press, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Mr. Marshal Gundu, while condemning the protest said “the Honourable Minister of Niger Delta will not do anything without proper consultation, so eminent people of Bakassi were consulted to nominate the youths and women from the area, knowing well that everybody cannot be trained and empowered at the same time. Besides, the programme is not intended for Bakassi youths and women alone, but all those who were displaced from the area.

“If anyone is in doubt, please contact the likes of Senator Florence Ita Giwa, the Paramount Ruler of Bakassi, Etiyin Etim Okon Edet and a host of other  respected people in Bakassi,  for clarification on the method of selection for the trainees. Or who else will know Bakassi returnees more than the Bakassi people themselves who were duly contacted to nominate people?

“The Honourable Minister takes exceptions from ”just sharing the money” attitude, while the supposed beneficiaries continue to suffer.

“We can only advise those who are still living in the past to team up with the Minister and the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, in our resolve to ensuring that the Bakassi returnees are settled and all their sufferings alleviated.

“We also appeal to other genuine youths and women of Bakassi who are yet to benefit from the ongoing training and empowerment programme to be patient with us as we will not rest, until all of them and of course, all the youths, women and the entire people of the Niger Delta region,s get the full benefits of being Nigerians.

“In our own view, the ‘Pull Him Down Syndrome’ being adopted by some desperate politicians in Cross River State will not do anyone any good but rather that it could take the state a hundred mile backward.

See full text of the statement……..

RE:SPONSORED PROTEST AGAINST ONGOING TRAINING/EMPOWERMENT OF DISPLACED BAKASSI YOUTH AND WOMEN

We are not unaware of the protest organised by the  acclaimed youths and women of Bakassi in Calabar, yesterday 14th March, 2018.

According to the organisers of the protest, “The training and empowerment programme does not reflect the interest of the affected people.” So the best way for them was to mobilise people to protest against the good intention of government to alleviate the sufferings of the displaced people of Bakassi.

In our own view, the ‘Pull Him Down Syndrome’ being adopted by some desperate politicians in Cross River State will not do anyone any good but rather that it could take the state a hundred mile backward.

For those who may not know, the Honourable Minister of Niger Delta will not do anything without proper consultation, so eminent people of Bakassi were consulted to nominate the youths and women from the area, knowing well that everybody cannot be trained and empowered at the same time. Besides, the programme is not intended for Bakassi youths and women alone, but all those who were displaced from the area.

If anyone is in doubt, please contact the likes of Senator Florence Ita Giwa, the Paramount Ruler of Bakassi, Etiyin Etim Okon Edet and a host of other  respected people in Bakassi,  for clarification on the method of selection for the trainees. Or who else will know Bakassi returnees more than the Bakassi people themselves who were duly contacted to nominate people?

The Honourable Minister takes exceptions from ”just sharing the money” attitude, while the supposed beneficiaries continue to suffer.

We can only advise those who are still living in the past to team up with the Minister and the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, in our resolve to ensuring that the Bakassi returnees are settled and all their sufferings alleviated.

We also appeal to other genuine youths and women of Bakassi who are yet to benefit from the ongoing training and empowerment programme to be patient with us as we will not rest, until all of them and of course, all the youths, women and the entire people of the Niger Delta region,s get the full benefits of being Nigerians.

Marshall Gundu

Director Press

15th March, 2018