Senator Ewhrudjakpo Tasks INC, IYC on fight against environmental terrorism, drug abuse in Ijawland
Bayelsa State Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, has urged the pan-Ijaw socio organization, Ijaw National Congress, INC, and its youth wing, the Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, to play a pivotal role in the fight against environmental terrorism and drug abuse in Ijawland.
The Deputy Governor, spoke during a courtesy call on him by the Executive Committee of the Central Zone of INC led by its Chairman, Dr Doodei Week, in Government House, Yenagoa.
Senator Ewhrudjakpo, in a statement issued on Thursday by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mr Doubara Atasi, expressed worry at the rate youths of the state are going into drugs and destroying their future.
According to him, there has been a sharp rise in drug consumption in Bayelsa in recent years, stressing that available statistics indicates an upward swing of about 5 percent in 2018 to the current 15 percent.
This turn of events, he said had earned the state the unenviable position of being the third highest in the drug abuse rating of the country.
Describing the rate of substance abuse and other related crimes as alarming, the Deputy Governor implored the two Ijaw organizations to collaborate with the state Committee on Drug Abuse to sensitize the youths on the dangers posed by the menace.
Senator Ewhrudjakpo also charged them not to be swayed by primordial sentiments being espoused by operators of artisanal oil refineries, whose activities he noted, were doing greater damage to the Niger Delta environment than that of the International Oil Companies.
His words, “Our environment has been shattered, terrorized and almost completely destroyed. Our youths are into transactions that are doing greater damage to our environment than what the IOCs are doing.
‘The INC and IYC cannot afford to stand aloof or allow themselves to be compromised over the crumbs from oil bunkering and illegal crude refining merchants.
“If you go to some of our communities where these activities are taking place, you will pity them and the people living there. Some of the diseases our people are suffering from today are caused by these criminal environmental abuse activities.
“The people who do this are showing wealth or waving affluence at us. But the truth is that, we are all dying in installments. If we don’t stand up and fight against this because of whatever primordial consideration, we will not be able to leave behind any environment for our children to enjoy.
“Drug abuse is another issue I will like you people to join government to tackle in our various communities. Our zone(state) has become Number 3 in the country in terms of drug consumption. The rate at which our youths are going into drugs is quite alarming.”
Speaking earlier, the Central Zone Chairman of the Ijaw National Congress, Dr Doodei Week, assured that the organization was ready to partner government in ensuring peace, unity and stability in Bayelsa and Ijawland in general.
Dr Week, who commended the Governor Douye Diri-led administration over its peace-building efforts and laudable projects across the state in the face of dwindling resources, encouraged the present administration to remain steadfast in pushing through its development agenda.
While soliciting support, the Central Zone Chairman declared that, rather than antagonize government the pan-Ijaw body would continue to support every performing administration in Bayelsa because of the strategic role the state plays in the activities of INC.
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