PIPELINE VANDALISM: BUNKERING’LL CRIPPLE ECONOMY -OKOWA

AS the country continues to plunge deeper into recession, the Delta State governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa has once again appealed to youths in the state to embrace peace for meaningful development of the state.

Governor Okowa made this appeal, weekend in Benikrukru community, Gbaramatu kingdom, Warri South West Local Government Area of the state during the swearing-in ceremony of the new Benikrukru Community Executive Council (BCEC) members.
The governor, who was represented by the state Commissioner for Youths Development, Hon. Asupa Forteta noted that Nigeria operates a mono-economy system and therefore cannot afford to continue to lose money because of youth restiveness in the Niger Delta region.
He said, “I want to use this opportunity to appeal to our youths to shun all forms of violence so that development can come to all parts of the state. You all know that Nigeria is a mono-economy so we cannot continue to disrupt oil production in the state, because if we do the whole country will suffer as there will be no funds to carry out any capital project.
“Our youths should also stop all acts capable of bringing down the economy of this country. They should stop pipeline vandalism, bunkering and illegal refinery operation and others.”
Also speaking at the occasion, the Commissioner representing the Ijaw ethnic nationality in the board of the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC), Chief Favour Zuokumor appealed to the people of the state to support the administration of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa.
While commending the community for a peaceful handing-over from one executive to another, Zuokumor said DESOPADEC has lined up a number of projects for the Benikrukru community in line with the policy of the board.
He said, “I want to appeal to the people of Benikrukru community to always support the administration of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa because it is only when you support the government of the day that development will come to your area. I want to appeal to you to shun all forms of violence, pipeline vandalism and illegal bunkering.
Meanwhile Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has assured women that his government has come up with new programmes that will improve and impart on their lives in the coming year.
The governor gave this assurance at the official commissioning of the Revenue Court, 300 KVA Siemens Transformer and Agric Farm embarked upon by the Oshimili South Council Chairman, Hon. Barr. Chuks Obusom, as part of the programmes marking his administration’s two years in office.
The governor acknowledged the current hardship facing families in the state and pleaded with them for patience and understanding as new programmes have been fashioned out aimed at imparting on their lives and those of the youths in the 2017 budget.
He also charged the privileged ones to join hands with government in empowering the women and youths among them with the little resources at their disposal, adding that in most cases, the amount some of the women needed to start up business may be just about N20,000 and advised that those who are privileged should not wait until they have large amount of money to start empowering them.
Okowa also disclosed that more programs targeted at the average Deltan have been lined up to commence in the shortest possible time, as more emphasis was going to be placed on road constructions where they reside rather than roads at the Government Reservation Areas (GRA).
He noted that six road construction projects in the old Asaba have been approved to take off as soon as possible. He said they included the Isioma Onyeobi road and Nnebisi road; and assured that the contractor handling the Okpanam road project would return to site in two weeks’ time to commence work on the road.