By Omos Oyinbode, Asaba
Determined to forestall an imminent danger likely to lead to breakdown of law and order in the Niger Delta region, the Delta State Chapter of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) has declared support for the Belema Oil Producing Company and encouraged indigenous oil companies in the region to promote local content and create employment for the teeming unemployed youths.
The youths, led by Delta State Chairman of NYCN, Amb. George Hope, have equally passed a vote of confidence on Belema Oil Producing Limited to operate in the Niger Delta region as a full fledged Oil Producing and Prospecting Company.
The declaration of support was made known to journalists during a peaceful protest in the streets of Asaba to register their grievances against certain inflammatory statements made by one Zik Gbemre, who claims to be operating under Niger Delta Peace Coalition against the oil company in the zone.
Amb. George, who scored the achievement of the company high in the state, said Delta state youths have benefited in no small measure from the company’s youth empowerment policies and programmes as it has given encouragement to youths in the area.
The youths were adorned with placards of various inscriptions which read: “Belema Oil has good operating track record”, “East or West give Belema Oil a chance to operate”, “Delta youths support Nigerians owning oil blocks, promote local content”, “Belema Oil means well for Niger Delta Region”, amongst others.
Amb. Hope George noted that Belema Oil Producing Limited has a good track record with the entire youths in Delta state, adding that any plot to brand the company with wrong tag would be resisted by the youths in the region.
While confirming and affirming that the oil company is a reputable indigenous company, Hope George however, averred that the youths have, in all totality confirmed that Belema Oil Producing Limited is a leading company that is highly committed to the development of the Niger Delta region.
NYCN Chairman recalled that the youths have viewed the statement made by Zik Gbemre against Belema Oil as falsehood, demeaning and misleading, describing it as a way of frustrating Belema Oil Producing Company in the zone.
According to him “the Management Committee of the National Youth Council of Nigeria, Delta State Chapter had called for an emergency meeting where it took into cognizance a very provocative and misleading statement made by one Zik Gbemre who is an indigene of Delta state and who, ironically, is claiming to be operating under disguise of Niger Delta Peace Coalition to mislead the youths as well as destroy and undermine the timely vision of Belema Oil Producing Limited, whose aims and objectives are focused at sustaining development of our Niger Delta region of which Delta state is a constituent”.
The youths, however, equivocally resolved to continue to promote peace and protect the Niger Delta region “while we sincerely oppose the selfish interest presented by one Zik Gbemre in promoting provocative statements against Belema Oil Producing Ltd”.
The youths further appealed to well-meaning Deltans, corporate bodies and organizations in Niger Delta region to dissociate themselves from Zik Gbemre utterances made against Belema Oil Ltd, stressing that they are selfish and crisis prone.
On his part, the National Deputy President NYCN, Comrade Chinwendu Orduwa, called on oil producing communities to see Belema Oil as friend, saying that anyone fighting Belema Oil is an enemy of youths in the state.
