Youth Group Gives NNPCL 7-day Ultimatum To Fund Ogoni Varsity

Members of the Ogoni Youths Development Initiative (OYDI) has decried the alleged refusal of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to fund the newly established Federal University of Environment and Technology (FUET), Ogoni, Rivers State

The group said it is aware that the establishment of FUET and the renovation of its structures, as well as NNPCL’s funding for its take-off, were part of the confidence-building measures for the resumption of oil exploration in Ogoni.

It therefore gave a seven-day ultimatum to the management of NNPCL to immediately release funds for the payment of contractors and the development of the institution, or face the risk of their offices being occupied by Ogoni youths.

OYDI, in a letter addressed to the company’s group chief executive officer, a copy of which was made available to LEADERSHIP in Port Harcourt, accused NNPCL of attempting to truncate the institution’s smooth take-off.

The letter, which was signed by the group’s global president, Comrade Saviour Oscar Imeade, was copied to President Bola Tinubu, the national security adviser (NSA), the director-general of the Department of State Services (DSS), among others.

It reads in part, “We wish to convey our deepest sadness over the refusal of the NNPCL under your watch to fund the Federal University of Environment and Technology, Ogoniland. We have it on good authority that part of the confidence-building measures for the resumption of oil exploration in Ogoniland is the establishment of FUET, and that, with the mandate of Mr President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the NNPCL should take over the renovation of the school and also provide funding for its take-off.

“However, we note with great dismay the refusal of NNPCL to heed to Mr President’s directive, as it has refused to pay contractors executing various projects in the campus, leading to many projects being abandoned and contractors locking out students and lecturers from accessing some facilities due to non-payment.

“So many students are currently without hostels, classroom blocks and laboratories for studies. Everything about project execution is now at a stalemate in the school.

“We frown deeply at these deliberate actions by the NNPCL to truncate the smooth take-off of the institution by reneging on the agreement between the Ogoni people and the president.

“Other institutions established around the same time as FUET by the federal government have received funding for their operations, but FUET has yet to receive funding. As a body, we are being forced to view this as a deceit or deliberate actions by the NNPCL to breach the terms of the agreement with the Ogoni people.

“Consequent upon this, we are giving the NNPCL a seven-day ultimatum to immediately release funds for payment of the contractors and development of the institution, or risk our occupying the gates of your office. We are non-violent, but we won’t, however, allow our inheritance and the fruit of the labour of our slain heroes to suffer neglect and abandonment.”