Women and youths of Bayelsa State origin have pleaded with the state Governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson to prevail on President Muhammadu Buhari to stop the plans by the

Federal Government to relocate the proposed Liquefied Natural Gas LNG project billed for the state.

The Brass LNG project, a Public-Private sector initiative is in line with the efforts of the Federal Government to actualise the gas utilisation and monetisation and generate wealth in the Niger Delta region.

In addition to the planned relocation of the LNG project, the government had also planned to withdraw its 40 per cent share in the project, which the citizens believe would not be in the best interest of the state and the entire citizenry.

The women and youths in their hundreds had yesterday in reaction to this plan by the government gathered at Twon Brass in the early hours to stage a peaceful protest.

The protesters said that the decision of Federal Government to relocate the project and also withdraw its 40 per cent stake will further worsen the already high rate of unemployment in the state.

This, according to them would invariably lead to more crimes and militancy, not only in the state but across the federation, especially on the nation’s waterways.

Youth leader of Twon Brass Community, Mr. Ebigon Sebo told newsmen during the protest that the planned relocation of the project by the Federal Government would directly mean bringing about mass unemployment to the state in particular and to the entire people of the Niger Delta region.

“We are begging the Federal Government to avoid crime and bloodshed. We also warn that we will not allow the Brass LNG to leave the area with their vital equipment.” Sebo said.

He also urged the state governor, Seriake Dickson to appeal to the President to halt the planned relocation.

The protesting women and youths were armed with placards, some of which read: “Enough is enough, leave Brass LNG in Bayelsa”, “FG please leave the Brass LNG alone and let it remain in Bayelsa State”

Others read:“Buhari listen to the Niger Delta people, Brass LNG is our own,” “ Brass LNG is solution to Niger Delta problems” , “Bayelsa people deserve the Brass LNG project”, among several others.

The project which was designed to produce 10 million metric tonnes of gas per annum, was to be built by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation NNPC, Total, ConocoPhillips and Eni Group.

But ConocoPhillips had withdrawn from the project in 2013.