By Cynthia Okolosi
Against the backdrop of rising demand for quality infrastructure and improved standard of living in Delta state, Human Rights Activist, journalist and Executive Director of Global Action Against Hunger, Crime and Violation of Peoples’ Rights (GAHCAVPER), Comrade Emeka Nwokocha, has called on governor Ifeanyi Okowa to shun sychophants milling around the corridors of his government and give full and unalloyed attention to the yearning of the indigent citizens of the state who desparetely need a turnaround in their lives.
Comrade Emeka gave the charge recently, in Warri, during his quarterly appraisal of the economic and political developments in the state. While noting that the SMART agenda of governor Okowa is a right mechanism to put the state on the path of economic recovery and building capacity among the teeming youths, he however expressed concern that the rising rate of unemployment is still a hurting issue. He said that the poor standard of living of the populace should agitate the conscience of the governor more constantly than any other matter in the state at the moment.
His words, “I want to remind governor Okowa and his team that there is too much poverty in the cities, villages and commumities in the state. Every nook and cranny in the state throws up alarming poverty; the populace struggle and toil too much to eke out a living; the citizens live and lament over their deplorable condition of living every moment of the day, still no succur is coming their way soon; the teeming and able body youths roam the streets with forlon hope; the youths are seen around in the streets loitering and groping with a thin hope for a breakthrough. I must say that Deltans deserve a better deal from their governments, at least to lead a comfortable life.”
Continuing, he said “the recent ranking of Nigeria as the country with the most people in extreme poverty, beating India to 2nd position, is a worrisome development in the history of our country, adding that the development points to looming danger ahead if nothing is done smartly to reverse the trend.
Comrade Emeka stated that the recent report by the World Poverty Clock that spotlights Nigeria’s poverty bug, is a wake-up call to Nigerian political leaders holding sway at the federal and state governments to think out of the box and set in motion vibrant economic policies to rescue the populace out of the vicious circle of poverty.
“The governor of Delta State, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa must put his acts together very urgently now to stem the rising tide of poverty in the state. Nothing can be more acceptable and pleasing to the people than ending poverty and giving the people a sense of belonging”, he stated.
Continuing, he called on governor Okowa to look critically into the compelling needs of the harpless Deltans and profer urgent remedy, saying: “the peoples’ patience is wearing thin.”
“I urge Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to emback on a rescue mission to get the people out of the poverty loop. It is obviously inexplicable why Deltans are poor and lacking basic amenities in the midst of plenty. The situation demands a drastic approach to chart a progressive course to engender economic stability and growth to the benefit of the people. I do not think the governor is getting the right information about the excruciating poverty and poor standard of living the teeming populace contend with everyday. The people have been neglected over the years as successive governments did not take their welfare serious. There is a huge lacuna seriously demanding urgent attention of governor Okowa to lift the people out of stagnating poverty,” he stated.
Comrade Emeka added, “the 28 years anniversary of Delta State is a reminder to discerning Deltans that non-existent of world class infrastructure in the state must have been as a result of lack of political will on the part of the leaders to develop critical sectors of the state’s economy, including road, education, industry, technology, housing, commerce, and agriculture. We must not shy away from the grim fact that not much of practical development in the above mentioned sectors has been seen across the state over the years. It is time to beat a detour from the gloom days and move along with the speed with which emerging economies across the globe are moving forward.
Comrade Emeka however, commended the governor for sustaining peace in the state despite the huge task, saying that it depicts his modest personality as a man of peace and humble disposition.
