The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), a sociopolitical group in the oil producing region of the country, has expressed concern over the non implementation of the 16-point agenda it submitted to the Federal Government.
PANDEF presented the 16-point agenda to the Federal Government as part of efforts to create an atmosphere of peace following increased agitation by youths in the area.
Idongesit Nkanga, a retired air commodore and chairman of the forum, expressed the frustration when he received the president of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Danielson Akpan in his office in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital.
Nkanga, a one-time military administrator of Akwa Ibom, lamented that Nigeria though richly blessed, her leaders have, however, failed to manage her resources to the benefit of all.
He lamented that, of the 16 points agenda presented by PANDEF, only the establishment of Maritime University in Delta State, has been met, while the others, including making the Maritime Academy Oron, a full fledge university has not been met.
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“Nigeria is a place that has been blessed by God, in human and materials resources, but we have failed to manage the resources, so we go through the circle of frustration. People hear that we are going through this and wonder why it should be like this.
“We have kept quiet for too long, sometimes silent may mean betrayal.
What I did not achieve; my children should. We should have a country with equal opportunities. Restructuring means justice, so nobody should kick against it, when you look for peace to have development, I think you have to look for justice”, he said.
He described the visit as divine, saying he has been looking to an opportunity to seek the students’ support for the forum’s vision for the Niger Delta people.
Akpan pledged to work with governors in the southsouth and PANDEF for the realisation of the 16-point agenda forwarded to Federal Government since 2016.
According to him, NANS would use it contacts and numerical strength to talk to people in government to ensure that, the demands of the people of the Niger Delta as encapsulated in the 16- point agenda are met.
“We are going to mobilise our people to join you, PANDEF and governors of the Niger Delta region to push for the actualisation of the 16-point agenda.
