Africa
MR Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, the Deputy Governor of Bayelsa, has urged the Ijaw National Congress (INC) and Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) to play pivotal role in the fight against terrorism and drug abuse in Ijaw land.
The deputy governor made the appeal on Friday in Yenagoa when officials of INC Central Zone led by its Chairman, Mr Doodei Week, paid him a courtesy visit.
Ewhrudjakpo, expressed worry at the rate in which the youths took to drugs, saying they were destroying their future.
According to him, there has been a sharp rise in drug consumption in Bayelsa in recent years, with available statistics indicating an upward swing from 5 per cent in 2018 to the current 15 per cent.
The deputy governor said that the rate of substance abuse and other related crimes in the state has reached an alarming level.
“Drug abuse is another issue I would like you to join government to tackle in our various communities.
“Our zone (state) has become number three in the country in terms of drug consumption. The rate at which our youths are going into drugs is quite alarming,” he said.
He, therefore, implored the two Ijaw organisations to collaborate with the state Committee on Drug Abuse to sensitise youths on the dangers posed by the menace.
Ewhrudjakpo also appealed to them not to be swayed by sentiments on the issue of artisanal oil refineries degrading the environment of the Niger Delta.
He said that the artisanal refineries have caused greater damage to the environment in Niger Delta than the International Oil Companies (IOCs).
“Our environment has been shattered, terrorised and almost completely destroyed. Our youths are into transactions that are doing greater damage to our environment than what the IOCs are doing.
“The INC and IYC cannot afford to stand aloof or allow themselves to be compromised over the crumbs from oil bunkering and illegal crude refining merchants.
“If you go to some of our communities where these activities are taking place, you will pity them and the people living there”, he said.
He attributed some of the diseases suffered by people in the area to ` these criminal environmental abuse activities’.
“The people who do this are showing off wealth or waving affluence at us, but the truth is that, we are all dying in installment.
“If we don’t stand up and fight against this because of whatever primordial consideration, we will not leave behind any environment for our children to enjoy,” he said.
Earlier, Week had assured that they were ready to partner government in ensuring peace, unity and stability in Bayelsa and Ijaw land in general.
He commended the state government for its peace-building efforts and laudable projects across the state, in spite of dwindling resources.
Week encouraged the administration to remain steadfast in pushing through its development agenda assuring that the pan-Ijaw body would continue to support it to do better. (NAN)
C.E
Tags: Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo
