The Motion for Simply Utilisation of Assets within the south-east, a regional stress group, has known as on the federal authorities to grant oil pipeline safety contracts to youths within the area.

Stanley Okafor, nationwide coordinator of the group, acknowledged this on Thursday in Awka.

In line with Okafor, the transfer would stem the tide of vandalism and oil theft within the area.

He added that such collaboration with the youths would enhance native manufacturing and exports, boosting income accruing to the federation account and the nation’s economic system.

“It has grow to be crucial to voice the necessity for the federal authorities to look extra inward and into technique of integrating the south-east in mainstream nationwide life,” he stated.

“This could possibly be finished by co-opting its youths as companions within the sourcing and safety of sources discovered within the area, together with Infrastructure vital for oil exploration manufacturing and conveyance.

“The youths are prepared and able to defending oil infrastructure within the area, and granting the license to those youths can be a workable option to examine youth restiveness.”

The decision is coming three weeks after the Nigerian Nationwide Petroleum Firm (NNPC) Restricted granted a pipeline surveillance contract to Authorities Ekpemupolo, often known as Tompolo, a former warlord within the Niger Delta area.

Okafor additionally urged the federal authorities to conduct an environmental impression evaluation in Enugu, the place coal was exploited years in the past when the commodity served as one of many nation’s best exports.

“We, due to this fact, hope that the federal authorities would present honest curiosity in assessing the impression of those years of exploitation on the surroundings and adequately compensate the area,” he added.

On his half, Harmless Nduanya, deputy president, Nationwide Youths Council of Nigeria, stated that gold deposits and different valuable stones within the south-east ought to be exploited with better coordination and objective.

“We have now ample geological deposits in Ebonyi, Enugu, Anambra Imo and Abia states, and we wish the federal authorities to take advantage of these sources with youths of the area as companions in progress,” he stated.

“We want the youths to be engaged in order that they will grow to be nationwide vanguards, and that approach, peace and nationwide identification can start to be restored.

“We’ll attain out to vital organs of the federal authorities to press residence these calls for in a accountable method.”