Delta State Government has been accused of insincerity in handling the<\/p>\n
recent spate of bombings of oil and gas facilities by the rampaging Niger
\nDelta Avengers (NDA).<\/p>\n
A community leader in Gbaramatu Kingdom, Comrade Sheriff Mulade, who gave
\nthe knockout verdict, said Governor Ifeanyi Okowa was just playing
\npolitics with the people because of security votes and expected revenue
\nfrom the federation account.<\/p>\n
Comrade Mulade spoke against the backdrop of the dialogue of the state
\ngovernment and stakeholders towards restoring peace in the state and Niger
\nDelta which held on Wednesday at Government House Annex, Warri.<\/p>\n
The Niger Delta youth activist also accused Okowa\u2019s administration of
\nneglecting the core oil producing areas in the scheme of things and
\npointed to the recent commissioning of projects in the upland part of the
\nstate to mark his one year on the saddle of governance, stating that none
\nwas commissioned in the riverside communities.<\/p>\n
Comrade Mulade who spoke on wide ranging issues, also condemned the recent
\nadvocacy visit embarked upon by the deputy governor, Barrister Kingsley
\nOtuaro to the creeks, describing the visit as political jamboree with no
\nconcrete result to show for it.<\/p>\n
He advised Governor Okowa to take a cue from the former governor of the
\nstate, Chief James Ibori, who personally visited the creeks in the heat of
\nthe inter-ethnic conflagration, where he engaged the critical
\nstakeholders; a step he stressed ensured the cessation of hostilities from
\nthe warring parties.<\/p>\n
His words: \u2018\u2019The Delta State Government has not been sincere with the
\npeople in the riverside communities as far as this crisis is concerned.
\nThe governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa is just playing to the gallery apparently
\nbecause of security votes and the revenue from the federal purse.<\/p>\n
\u2018\u2019To mark his one year in office, he commissioned some projects in the
\nupland part of the state, none in the areas that are producing the money
\nhe is using to prosecute these projects. We are completely neglected. We
\nare not happy with the governor. Avengers and other miscreants are
\ndestroying pipelines and the environment and the government has shown no
\nserious commitment towards addressing the fundamental issues, engaging
\ncritical stakeholders to find a way to arrest the dire situation. They are
\nonly bothered about the oil money and not interested in the development of
\nthe people.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n
Asked to comment on the recent advocacy visit by the deputy governor to
\nthe creeks, he said the tour was just to cajole the people as it did not
\nyield any positive result as militants were still bombings pipelines.<\/p>\n
\u2018\u2019If the governor is sincere about addressing the crisis, he should
\npersonally lead the negotiation by visiting critical stakeholders and the
\ncommunities to see things for himself. The level of hardship in the
\ncommunities is unspeakable \u2018\u2019, he said.
\nHe continued: \u2018\u2019He cannot continue to be engaging political stakeholders
\nwho are beneficiaries of the crisis and expect to achieve a lasting
\nsolution. It is amazing that the continued lack of sincerity to end the
\ncrisis is as a result of security votes. It is the poor citizens in the
\ncommunities who bear the brunt\u2019\u2019.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Delta State Government has been accused of insincerity in handling the recent spate of bombings of oil and gas facilities by the rampaging Niger Delta Avengers (NDA). A community leader…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":50798,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-50797","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n