By Austin Ogwuda
RENOWNED Environmental Rights and Development Activist, Chief Mulade Sheriff has called on the Delta State government to link up the ongoing construction of walkways in the riverine to neighbouring communities to boost economic activities and social well-being.
While commending the governor, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori for paying a working visit to riverine communities in Delta State, including the oil-rich Kokodiagbene community in Gbaramatu kingdom, Warri South-West local government area of the State, Mulade however said that his call requesting that they (walkways) be connected to neighbouring communities is germane.
Said he, “I sincerely thank and appreciate you (governor ) for giving hope to us that the government is continuity; therefore, no project will be abandoned in the State, especially riverine projects.
“However, it is imperative to draw the attention of His Excellency, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori to some of the disadvantages of the concrete walk-way projects in the riverine area of the State.
“The project constructed here in Kokodiagbene community and others can only be meaningful, useful as well as add economic value to the people and the state only when they are linked and connected to the neighbouring communities. That is when we can refer to them as roads.
For now, they are just concrete walk-ways to enable us access each other, as estate.
“I want to strongly appeal to our amiable Governor Rt Hon Sheriff F. O. Oborevwori to kindly link together the under-listed communities in the same island, namely Okerenkoko, Pepe-ama, Ogidadino, Edeba, Ekpemu, Kokodiagbene and Jones Creek Flow Station communities to transform the concrete walk-way to become a road, in order to add economic value to the people and the State”, he stated.
Governor Sheriff Oborevwori had last Friday, during inspection of projects in riverine communities, said that his administration was committed to developing riverine communities just as it was also committed to upland communities.
The projects inspected includes; Lecture Hall at Nigeria Maritime University Okerenkoko, internal road in Kokodiama, and drains in Kuru, Warri South West Local Government Area and construction works at Model Secondary School, Ogulagha in Burutu Local Government Area.
The Governor was accompanied by the immediate past Deputy Governor, Deacon Kingsley Otuaro, Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Emomotimi Guwor and top government officials.
Addressing journalists during the inspection, Governor Oborevwori said the contractor was mobilised with 25 percent, adding that the job was almost completed and urged the people to continue to support his administration.
“We mobilised the contractor with 25 percent and they have done a lot of job, they have done 500m and 200m on the other side and behind me is one box culvert on the other side which is about 1.5km
“We are just coming from Okerenkoko where we went to inspect the lecture hall and other offices at the Maritime University, where the contractor assured us that the work will be completed before the end of this month.
“So we dedicated today for the inspection of projects in the riverine and it’s very key to us because we can’t be doing this in the upland without touching the riverine because they are very key to us.
“We decided to go into the place today despite the rain because they are very key to us and am glad that we made it here because they are very important to us”, he said.
On the Model Secondary School Ogulagha, Governor Oborevwori said, “I am actually impressed because this is one of the best model schools in the riverine area.
“The project has been on since 2013 and the immediate past administration made effort to complete it. We are glad that the project has been completed and in the next two weeks, it will be inaugurated.
*Pix Enarusai Bripin
PRESS UNIT, Government House Asaba, Delta State, Nigeria.
*Credit to Congress Newspaper for additional news report