Lorine Emenike
The Executive Director of Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC), Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface has called on spirited individuals in the society to partner with YEAC to enhance its drive of providing alternative livelihood to youths in Niger Delta rather than them engaging in artisanal refining of crude oil.
Fyneface made the statement during a sensitization and capacity training program for youths in providing an alternative livelihood on Monday.
The event was put together by Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre in Partnership with Society for Women and Youths Affairs in Port Harcourt.
He said the training became necessary in view of the Federal Government’s promise to create enabling environment and resources that will enable an alternative livelihood and enhance Modula refinery for youths in Niger Delta.
The activist said YEAC decided to engage about one million volunteered youths in the region to train them so they can embrace alternative livelihood rather than artisanal refining.
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Fyneface told newsmen that the youths will be trained in renewable energy (solar energy), Agriculture, especially fish and rice farming.
He called on the government to establish a solar farm in the region which will generate electricity to other Niger Delta areas that don’t have electricity.
He also urged security operatives to be proactive in issues of insecurity in the region.
On her part, Mrs Stella Amanie, the Executive Director Society of Women and Youths Affairs said the training will help save the Niger Delta region from further devastation caused by illegal refining of crude oil and the health hazards of sooth.
“The artisanal refining of crude is doing more harm than good. There are cases of kerosene explosion burnt at the site of production, destruction of the environment completely by these activities and it is not helping the people in the community where this is happening.
“Many children are lying in various hospitals with respiratory illnesses. So we need to train them and encourage them to think of something else they can do beside artisanal crude refining”
