By Samuel Ogenyi, Uyo
Youths of the Niger Delta have given the Federal Government a seven days ultimatum to reverse the sale of gold by Zamfara state government unless they take to the street to protest.
Addressing a joint press conference in Uyo yesterday, the youths under the aegies of the South South Youth Assembly, SSYA, and the Young Democratic Movement, YDM, condemned the action calling for details of both past and present gold sales to be made public.
The press conference was addressed by Comrade Victor Thompson, Speaker of SSYA and Kuseme Idiong of YDM.
The youths also called on the Presidency and the National Assembly to revisit the derivative fund formular for oil producing Niger Delta states as oil producing states are no longer satisfied with the 13 percent derivation.
They said that the FG should also allow oil producing states to directly sale their oil like Zamfara if they are unable to review upwards the derivative formulary.
“Details of both past and present gold or other minerals sales should be made public and proceeds should be shared among all the states as is in the case of oil derivatives from the Niger Delta region.
“We therefore give the FG up till Saturday, October 24, 2020 to give a robust and satisfactory response to our demand else the youths of the Niger Delta shall on Tuesday, October 26,2020 embark on a nationwide protest drawing the attention of the international community to this terrible situation.
“We must warn that we will not leave the streets until our demands are met.” They said.
The youths said it was an insult to the army to call them out against unarmed youths rather than using them against terrorists and insurgents in some parts of the country.
They noted that the Nigerian constitution has failed because both the Presidency and the National Assembly have not been guided by it.
The Petroleum Act enacted since 1969 has become obsolete they said, expressing regret that the Petroleum Industry Bill before the National Assembly is being frustrated by some people for selfish reasons.
They warned that sponsors of hoodlums attacking posters to cause disaffection with the Federal Government would be fished out while such hoodlums would be dealt with by the protesters.
