Ogoni youths in Rivers State have threatened to embark on a series of protests over the non-funding of the Federal University of Environment and Technology in Saakpenwa, Tai Local Government Area of the state.

Recall that the Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Chinedu Mmom, during a news briefing to announce the institution’s maiden matriculation in February, lamented that since FUET was established following a bill signed into law by President Bola Tinubu on February 2, 2025, the university had yet to receive any take-off allocation or grant.

Continuing, the youths, under the aegis of the Ogoni Youths Development Initiative, issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited to release funds to the institution or face the shutdown of its offices in Port Harcourt and Abuja.

President of the OYDI, Imeabe Saviour, disclosed this at a media briefing in Port Harcourt, the state capital, on Sunday.

Saviour said the body had earlier written to the Group Chief Executive of the NNPCL and the Office of the National Security Adviser on the plight of the institution, which goes by the acronym FUET.

The OYDI president said the university would function more effectively when properly funded, adding that contractors handling projects had not been paid. He also decried the absence of hostels and classrooms to accommodate more students due to zero funding.

Saviour recalled that after the establishment of the university, the NNPCL was directed to begin renovation work at its temporary site and provide funding for its smooth take-off as part of confidence-building measures following talks with Ogoni leaders over the planned resumption of oil exploration in Ogoniland.

Addressing the NNPCL boss, he stated, “We wish to convey our deepest sadness over the refusal of the NNPCL under your watch to fund the Federal University of Environment and Technology, Ogoniland.

“We have it on good authority that part of the confidence-building measures for the resumption of oil exploration in Ogoniland is the establishment of FUET, alongside the mandate of President Bola Tinubu that the NNPCL should take over the renovation of the school and also provide funding for its take-off.

“However, we note with great dismay the refusal of the NNPCL to heed Mr President’s directive, as it has failed to pay contractors executing various projects on the campus, leading to many projects being abandoned and contractors locking out students and lecturers from accessing some facilities due to non-payment.

“Many students are currently without hostels, classroom blocks and laboratories for their studies. Everything about project execution is now at a stalemate in the school.”

Saviour continued, “We frown deeply at this deliberate action by the NNPCL to truncate the smooth take-off of the institution by reneging on the agreement between the Ogoni people and the President.”

He lamented that other institutions established around the same time as FUET by the Federal Government had received funding for their operations, while FUET had yet to receive any.

“As a body, we are being forced to view this as deceit or a deliberate action by the NNPCL to breach the terms of the agreement with the Ogoni people.

“Consequently, we are giving the NNPCL a seven-day ultimatum to immediately release funds for the payment of contractors and the development of the institution or risk our members occupying the gates of your offices.

“We are non-violent, but we will not allow our inheritance and the fruit of the labours of our slain heroes to suffer neglect and abandonment”, he concluded. (Sunday PUNCH)