3rd August, 2015
Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt
A youth group in the oil rich Niger Delta has threatened to shut the operations of the multi-billion dollars Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas, NLNG, over the plan by the company to site the Drydock yard in Badagry, Lagos.
Simeon Wilcox, leader of Bonny Youths Federation, has accused NLNG of insincerity and refusal to categorically make an official statement about the location of the N1.6 billion dollar Drydock project outside the company’s area of operations in Rivers State and Niger Delta region.
A youth coalition under the aegies of Niger Delta Youths Leaders has vowed to stage protests in the entire operational communities of NLNG over the plan to site such project outside the region.
Wilcox stated that youths in the region cannot be wallowing in abject poverty in the midst of plenty caused by unemployment when companies like the NLNG would initiate plans that could deny the needed employment.
The youth leaders in a joint press conference in Port Harcourt, said a letter of protest has been sent to President Muhammadu Buhari, the National Assembly, the Speakers of House of Representatives and Rivers House of Assembly.
Wilcox also stated that relevant security agencies have equally been notified of the planned protest.
NLNG is yet to react to the allegation against the company and threat of imminent shut down of the company’s operations.
The Federal Government recently shared N359.4 billion revenue generated by the NLNG as income tax among the 36 states of the federation.