By Austin Ogwuda
THE Commissioner representing Isoko ethnic nation at the Delta State Oil Producing Development Agency Commission (DESOPADEC) Board, Victor Egbo, whose three houses are blocking the waterways has called on the Taskforce on Removal of Illegal Structures to pull them down.
Whilst the Commissioner is begging the Taskforce to pull down his buildings, a Niger Delta Activist, Mr Collins Eselemo has berated the Delta State Government of alleged flagrant disregard to court orders which restraining them from demolishing the house of a Medical practitioner, Dr. Prosper Orezimena and his neighbour, Pa. India Osanebi.
Victor Egbo said, “I embraced the situation because I am a part and parcel of the MORE Agenda of the government and as a Commissioner, I should serve as an example.
“If I cannot lead for the rest to follow, it means I am setting a bad precedent for the people, it is painful but we must do what is right for our water ways to be cleared and opened to avoid flooding.
“I did not know that the building is on a water canal and when my attention was drawn to it, I have to call the Task Force Chairman, Frank Omare to come and remove it for the water to flow to its direction.
“Today I am a victim because three of my buildings are affected but I have been assisting them by going around to show them where the water should flow as we cannot use our self interest to punish others.
“Some of our buildings around the water canals are the major cause of the water rising during the rainy and flooding season and we cannot not continue to punish the people”, he stated.
On his part, the State Chairman of Task Force on the Removal of Illegal Structures and recovering of Government Lands, Chief Frank Omare during the opening of water canals exercise in Ughelli, said, “We have come to open the water blocked area because so many houses blocked the water channels and glad to tell Deltans that one of the top government officials, Chief Victor Egbo’s house among the houses that would be brought down during the exercise in Ughelli.
“I am glad that he knows the policy of government and if the house of Last Mugu will be brought down because it is built on the water ways, we are not going to spare anyone .
“The exercise has just began and there are more swamp buggies that are coming and for the period of time the exercise is going to last, the people of Ughelli should cooperate as we will and cannot compromise”, Omare said.
…. Eselemo expresses sadness over demolition of Medical Doctor’s house
On the demolition of the Medical Doctor’s house, Activist Eselemo said that “In defiance to the court order, the State government on June 20th 2024 through the Ministry of Urban Renewal and Ministry of Land & Survey under alleged instigation of a powerful party (PDP) chieftain brought in bulldozers and brought the building down with occupants not given a chance to move their belongings out.
“The alarming disregard by the Delta State Government towards interim and interlocutory injunctions issued by the State’s High Court puts the Sheriff Oborevwori administration in a black spot, this must be checked”, he lamented.
Recall that the media widely reported how Delta State government allegedly disobeyed lawful Court Orders following the demolition of the homes of Dr Prosper Orezimena, a Medical practitioner and his neighbour, Pa. India Osanebi on the instigation of a powerful Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) chieftain who wants to create access road through their compound.
