…demands transparency in refinery, seaport dev.
By Davies Iheamnachor
PORT HARCOURT: Niger Delta Ethnic Nationalities Youth Leaders Forum has warned youths of the region to avoid been used by self seeking politicians to cause violence or electoral manipulation during the forthcoming 2027 general elections.
This was as the forum called on the Federal Government to accelerate the development of Eastern Ports and ensure transparency in agreements for the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries.
These were contained in a resolutions reached by the forum at the end of its meeting in Port Harcourt and signed by Dr. Legborsi Yamaabana, spokesman of the forum and President-General of the Ogoni Youth Federation
The forum on the 2027 general elections warned youths of the region not allow themselves to be used to cause violence before, during and after the election.
It urged political actors to abide by democratic rules and uphold the rule of law, calling on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to discharge its responsibilities impartially and transparently to ensure free, fair and credible elections.
It read in part: “We urge youths in the Niger Delta to reject political violence, electoral manipulation and attempts by politicians to use them to advance selfish interests.
“We also reaffirmed our commitment to peace, justice, accountability and the protection of the collective interests of the Niger Delta. To this end, we will formally communicate our position on the forthcoming 2027 general elections to the public.”
The forum also demanded the removal of regulatory, financing and infrastructure bottlenecks affecting proposed seaport projects, as well as accountability for public funds committed to refinery rehabilitation.
It called for a time-bound dredging and modernisation programme for Rivers, Onne, Warri and Calabar ports, based on verified technical requirements, calling on the Federal Government to develop a clear operational roadmap for the Burutu Port and advanced development plans for other proposed seaports in the region.
The forum called for coordinated investments in access roads, rail connections, inland waterways, cargo-handling equipment and industrial logistics to improve port operations and regional economic activities.
The forum expressed worries over the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited’s (NNPCL) announcement of a Memorandum of Understanding reportedly signed with two Chinese companies on April 30, 2026 on the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries.
It said the refineries had experienced decades of failed promises, shifting deadlines and questionable turnaround maintenance contracts, despite reported expenditure running into billions of dollars.
It noted that the refineries had yet to achieve sustained domestic production despite repeated rehabilitation efforts.
However, the forum demanded for full disclosure of the Chinese agreements, including their financial terms, funding sources, contractual obligations, implementation timelines, ownership implications, performance guarantees and the roles of all parties involved.
It said Nigerians, particularly people of the Niger Delta, deserved to know the cost of the agreements and the measurable benefits expected from them.
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