IYC, in a New Year message to President Bola Tinubu, Niger Delta governors and multinational oil companies, also sought the rapid development of the region and implementation of the 2014 Constitutional Conference (Confab) reports, reiterating its call for fiscal federalism.
A statement signed by its spokesman, Binebai Yerin Princewill, also called for sustainable peace in the region and the entire nation, saying that peace remains the panacea for development, which the region needs urgently.
The group assured that the largest youth movement in the world will continue to do all within its powers to preach peace, believing that the Federal Government and its allies will be fair and just to Ijaw people, as well as other minorities in Nigeria on their quest to live a decent life.
The group also said it is sad that 25 years after the formation of IYC via the Kaiama Declaration on December 11, 1998, fiscal federalism for all federating units in Nigeria, to control resources in their region, which has always been part of the Ijaw struggle for self-determination and resource control, is yet to make any headway.
The statement added: “The Ijaw people and Niger Deltans cannot continue to be exploited politically and economically in Nigeria without justice. As Nigeria is talking about sustainable peace, we should be talking about sustainable justice.
“Today, in Zamfara and other states, they are mining gold, and the proceeds are not being shared, as the Federal Government has been mute over this grave injustice, while our oil and gas is made public.
“These are some of the anomalies that need to be corrected if we are to move forward as a country. If our oil and gas can be shared across the country, why can’t the gold be also shared?”
IYC also called on interventionist agencies like the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Niger Delta Ministry and other related agencies to begin the physical manifestation of projects in Niger Delta communities.
It further said: “There should be no excuse this time for our places to be developed. The Niger Delta development has been stagnated for too long. Council will continue to engage with these authorities frequently in ensuring that the right thing is done for our people.”
