NIGER DELTA YOUTHS RISE AGAINST CORRUPTION

 * Call For Stronger Opposition Parties

THE Central Organising Committee of the Niger Delta Youth Parliament says the restive youths of the oil and gas region, will no longer condon any form of corruption among public officials in the region.

To this end, they are calling for stronger opposition parties in the area, claiming that a one-party state is incapable of building a credible democracy. 

Chairman of the organising committee, Mr. Imoh Okoko, who was speaking in an interview with our correspondent yesterday on telephone said the Niger Delta youths are of the view that the best platform for good governance in the oil region is one in which there is a strong and active opposition parties.

''Government in the nine oil-producing states of Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Imo, Ondo, and Rivers should take this as impetus to perform at the highest level of excellence on all fronts. As a group, we tend to believe they will'', Okoko said.

According to them, the Action Congress (AC) administration in Edo State, those of the Peoples Progressive Alliance (PPA) in Abia and Imo states as well as those of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the six other states must implement their campaign promises to restore integrity with full accountability, underpinned by transparency and ensure there is a freedom of information policy''. 

Continuing, the Niger Delta youths added, ''it is our hope that these issues will be concretely addressed, and that our political functionaries will rise to the occasion and make the oil region the number one region in the country in relation to the achievement of these goals''.

 They also want the anti-graft agency, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to bring the full weight of the law to bear on proven corrupt practices in the Niger Delta area since 1999.

''There should equally be transparency of party financing, the necessity for multi-partisan support on issues such as dealing with the economic crisis facing us'', they said.