Mulade goes tough on Okowa; charge him not to deprive the Ijaws of developments

By Godwin Utuedoye,

An environmental activist and community leader, Comrade Sheriff Mulade has expressed displeasure over the continuous neglect of Ijaw communities in Delta State by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa led administration in terms of viable projects being situated in  the oil producing communities.

Comrade Sheriff made the assertion during the commissioning of projects executed by Egbema Gbaramatu Communities Development Foundation EGCDF,  a Chevron sponsored Global Memorandum of Understanding GMoU, where he is the General-Secretary of the organisation, said that the  recently approved Kwale-Beneku Bridge Projects connecting several communities in Ndokwa West and Ndokwa EastLocal Government Areas by Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa without any tangible projects in Ijawland that owned the resources used in financing such projects.

According to him, “it makes most of the host communities take their anger towards the International Oil Companies’ IOCs operating in the area because government has failed.

He draw  the attention ofGovernor Okowa to the abandoned Okerenkoko-Pepeama and Kokodiagbene road and Ubafan-Oporoza-Madangho-Ogedigben-Yokirito Sokebulou road projects that transverse Warri South West to Burutu council areas which are important road projects that will open up the hinterland.

He noted that these project was awarded by “our dynamic leader, former Governor Chief James Ibori but has since been forgotten by successive governments despite the areas contribution to the State and Federal government revenue.”

He therefore appeal to Dr Okowa toas a matter of urgency reconsider the approval of those mentioned roads as important projects to give sense of belonging to the Ijaw nation ahead of the 2019 general elections.

“We are totally neglected and deprived of tangible infrastructural projects, it is pertinent to mention that Egbema kingdom in Warri North local government area is the most deprived and neglected Ijaw people in Delta State in terms of infrastructure and political recognition.” He added.