Commission, NDDC, Engr. Dr. Samuel Adjogbe, FNSE, has appealed to youths
in all parts of the country to support activities and programmes that
promote peace.
Dr Adjogbe spoke when members of the Northern Youth Council of Nigeria,
NYCN, led by its President, Dr Isah Abubakar, paid him a courtesy visit
at the NDDC headquarters in Port Harcourt and honoured him as an icon of
human transformation, with the title “Garkuwan Matasan Nigeria”
(Protector of the Youths).
The NDDC Executive Director said that the Commission was planning to
mount a programme where ex-agitators would come out to declare that
Niger Delta region had surrendered to peace, stating that it was an
important message that should be spread throughout the country.
Adjogbe described peace as a veritable instrument for nation building,
stating that the NDDC was making conscious efforts to ensure lasting
peace. According to him, “we must continue to work to promote peace and
security for the sustainable development of the Niger Delta region, in
particular, and Nigeria, in general.
He declared: “If we do not surrender to peace, then we cannot drive the
development process. Hence, we must deploy all efforts to ensure that
there is peace and security in our country.
He further stressed the need to inculcate the right attitude and values
in the youths, stating that it was necessary to recalibrate our value
system and get people to begin to differentiate between good and bad,
adding that it would once again make the Niger Delta friendly to
investors.
The NDDC Executive Director said: “It is important for us to begin to
woo investors back to the Niger Delta to drive sustainable development
which will ultimately improve the quality of life of our people.”
Adjogbe said that much as the next level agenda of the Federal
Government was promising, it would not achieve the desired goals in an
atmosphere of insecurity. He noted that as one of the national patrons
of the Buhari support group, he joined in the effort to preach peace in
all parts of the country.
He observed: “I have been an ardent follower of President Muhammadu
Buhari right from when he was the military head of state in the 1980s. I
still remember the War Against Indiscipline, WAI, which ingrained the
queuing culture into the consciousness of Nigerians. I am happy that
Nigerians have given President Buhari another opportunity to instill
discipline in our country in a democratic milieu.”
The President of the Northern Youth Council of Nigeria, Dr Isah
Abubakar, said that Adjogbe, was one of the few Federal Government
appointees that distinguished themselves in service, noting that the
group recognised his exceptional performance and commitment to the next
level agenda of the Buhari administration.
He said that the NYCN was impressed by the fact that the NDDC executive
director had mentored many youths and prepared them for leadership
positions. “We, therefore, recognize you as an icon of human
transformation who has shown exemplary leadership in the area of
agriculture, infrastructure, youth empowerment and encouraging youths to
participate in leadership,” Abubakar said.
The NYCN President urged the NDDC to help nurture the newly established
North East Development Commission, noting that the Niger Delta
interventionist agency had come a long way and its experiences over the
years could help other new bodies to take their own bearing.