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The Citizens Quest for Truth initiative, an accountability non-governmental organization, said it received with dismay the news of the protests, on the east-west route, from some people posing as delta youth. from Niger and causing inconvenience to commuters on this still busy route. .
The advocacy group, in a statement jointly signed by Francis Ndimkoha, National Secretary for Publicity and Chief Obiaruko Ndukwe, National President, respectively said that “it is important, as a group, that we remind Nigeriens of Delta l The story of the East-West Highway, which was flagged in 2006 by the Obasanjo administration as a flagship project of the Niger Delta Ministry of Affairs (MNDA), but has remained unfinished to this day.
“Under President Buhari’s administration, the project was transferred to the Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund (PIDF), with approved funds surprisingly stored by the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) led by Uche Orji for about 4 years. “, explained Citizens Quest.
According to the group, “The Citizens Quest for Truth initiative was at the forefront of advocacy for the release of funds for this project and the transfer of this project to the Niger Delta Ministry of Affairs. President Buhari’s approval of the return of the project to the ministry also facilitated the release of 19.7 billion naira for the payment of historical debts owed to the contractors, to enable them to return to the site.
He expressed the sadness that young people could, on the basis of erroneous information, take to the streets in protest.
“Although we are saddened by the slowness of the work, so far we believe that protests, which could potentially be hijacked for criminal or political gain, are never the way to go. We urge the leaders of the Niger Delta to call young people to order, while more creative approaches should be used to liaise with the ministry, for fruitful discussion, towards the completion of sections 1 to 4 of this route, as planned, ”said Citizens Quest.
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