The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Central Zone has expressed her discontentment over the non-inclusion of the State in the recent approved 21 roads construction and rehabilitation by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) in the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria.

Recall that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved the takeover of reconstruction of 21 federal roads across the six geopolitical zones of the country by Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

Speaking with newsmen in Yenagoa the Bayelsa State Capital, the Chairman of the Ijaw Youth Council Central Zone, Comr. Clever Inodu, faulted the NNPC for channeling all the available resources for the Road Infrastructure Development on petroleum energy distribution alone without recourse to connecting major petroleum activity destinations to the rest of the country. He said total neglect of Bayelsa State in its recent move is an indication that the State has never been on the framework of the corporation even though it is amongst States in the top chart of petroleum activities in the country.

The most anticipated Nembe-Brass road has been on the Federal Government drawing board since 1973 but has gotten little or no attention despite its Socio-Economic viability. Expatiating the importance of the road, he explained that when completed it will provide access to the Brass fertilizer/petrochemical project, the Atlantic modular refinery Okpoma and the BPPT Brass petroleum product terminal amongst others.
Comr. Clever Inodu who doubles as Chairman of the Ijaw Youth Council Zonal and Chapter Chairmen forum expressed total displeasure and rejects this trend in its entirety pointing out that the move is a deliberate marginalization of Bayelsa State by the NNPC.

He concluded by calling on the management of the Cooperation to reconsider the Council’s position on the Nembe-Brass road and urged the Federal Government and other relevant agencies to fast track the construction of Federal roads in the State. He also encouraged companies in the area to take advantage of the Executive Order No. 007 of 2019 signed into law by Mr. President and carry out Road Infrastructure Development in the State.