A former Coordinator of the National Youth Council of Nigeria, NYCN, Oyigbo Chapter, Mr. Fineface Akaya, says that Oyigbo, which is a gateway Local Government Area in Rivers State bordering Abia, has long suffered neglect in public infrastructure, youth development, insecurity, unemployment, and private-sector investment.
Speaking with our Correspondent on the marginalisation of the area and its people, in terms of development, security and other necessities, Mr. Akaya stressed that despite its revenue potential, the neglect was not accidental, but politically engineered.
He however, called on President Bola Tinubu, Rivers State Government, Oyigbo Council authorities, the Niger Delta Development Commission, oil and gas giants, as well as other stakeholders operating in the area, to, as a matter of urgent importance, turn Oyigbo into investment and development hub for posterity.
“I called on the government at all levels, oil and gas giants, the Niger Delta Development Commission(NDDC), among other stakeholders, to upgrade security apparatus and power infrastructure in Oyigbo to attract industrialists for investment. There is a need for the establishment of an Oyigbo Development Trust Fund(ODTF) driven by levies from extractive operatives. Development cannot wait. This proactive stance counters the apathy that often follows long-term marginalisation”. Akaya said
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Mr. Akaya also advocated constitutional inclusion of marginalised Local Government Areas, like Oyigbo, in direct federal intervention programmes, which encompassed a government of inclusivity.
“The federal, state and local governments, and relevant development and security agencies, should urgently and aggressively develop measures in Oyigbo, the LGA still lacks critical infrastructure, such as federal roads, health facilities, and job- job-generating enterprises. Successive administrations have allegedly marginalised Oyigbo in infrastructure, education, health, establishment of industries, security, empowerment, and youth development, due to political differences, especially, its voting patterns and perceived loyalties,” He stated.
“The only one LGA that quietly sits on the cusp of transformative economic potential, yet Oyigbo remains tragically under-developed remains Oyigbo, the hen that lay the golden eggs, has critical borderland of Rivers State, adjoining Abia, and home to resilient people, vast land, and untapped industrial promise, is being forgotten by past and present administrations, both in Rivers State and Nigeria.
According to the youth leader, the demands are timely following the rising rate of insecurity in the area as a result of land boundaries encroachment of Oyigbo landed properties by neighbouring communities and unemployment in the area, hence the need for the Government’s urgent intervention.
