Youths of Ogoni extraction in Rivers State have decried the delay in the funding of the Federal University of Environmental Technology (FUET) by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), warning that the situation is crippling the institution’s take-off.
Under the umbrella of the Ogoni Youths Development Initiative (OYDI), the group said numerous students currently lack access to hostels, classrooms, and laboratories due to the non-release of funds for ongoing projects at the university.
The youths consequently issued a seven-day ultimatum to the NNPCL, demanding the immediate disbursement of funds for the smooth operation of the school or face mass protests at its Port Harcourt and Abuja offices.
Addressing journalists during a press conference in Port Harcourt, OYDI leaders expressed dissatisfaction over what they described as the company’s failure to comply with a presidential directive mandating it to renovate the campus and finance the institution’s commencement.
Speaking at the briefing, OYDI Global President, Comrade Imeabe Saviour Oscar, stated that the establishment of FUET formed part of federal confidence-building measures aimed at facilitating the planned resumption of oil exploration in Ogoniland.
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He explained that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had directed the NNPCL to take over the rehabilitation of the institution and provide funding for its take-off, but alleged that the company had yet to act on the mandate.
According to him, contractors handling various projects on campus have reportedly not been paid, leading to abandoned works and restricted access to some facilities by students and lecturers.
The group described the development as a breach of understanding between the Ogoni people and the Federal Government, noting that other institutions established around the same period had allegedly received funding while FUET remained without financial backing.
OYDI warned that failure to release the funds within seven days to settle contractors and accelerate campus development would trigger peaceful protests, including the occupation of NNPCL office gates.
The youths, however, maintained that their planned actions would remain non-violent, stressing that they would not allow what they called the “inheritance and sacrifices of Ogoni heroes” to be neglected.
