Briga News Nigeria
As Delta marks it’s 34th Anniversary today, there is euphoria celebration and glee has the state housing over five ethnic groups is 34 today.
Delta State was created August 27th, 1991, by the then Military President Gen Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida, with capital in Asaba.
However, 34 years after, the state has witnessed both military and civilian rule with unprecedented growth and development among the ethnic nationalities and in major cities across the state.
Meanwhile, Delta, being an oil producing state, mainly rely on the crude oil wealth. However, majority of the oil producing Communities are from the riverine and to a large extent not seen the needed development.
In order to tackle the issue of underdevelopment, the Asaba Capital Development Commission was established to tackle developmental issues in the state capital territory and it’s environs. Also, the Warri, Effurun and environs Development Commission was established to tackle developmental challenges in Warri, Effurun and it’s environs.
This agencies were basically established as developmental interventionist agencies to cater for the areas development.
Pathetically, the riverine areas that produces the bulk of crude oil that feeds the nation and the state is developmentally strangulated and neglected.
In attempt to give the area a facelift, a Niger Delta Environmental Activist, Comr. Sheriff Mulade PhD, proposed the Coastal Areas Development Agency, CADA, bill to also tackle the developmental challenges of the Coastal Areas, particularly the Ijaw areas.
This bill was humanly neglected, starved of the needed support, strangulated and stabbed to death by the powers that be in the state.
However, by the ascension of Ijaw politicians into key offices in the state, one thinks this bill would’ve been given a facelift and signed to law.
Ironically, hitherto, despite have Ijaw political leaders in the heirs of affair, the CADA dream is still a mirage.
Does the Ijaws and other coastal communities needs to become Governor before achieving the CADA dream?
As head of the states lawmaking house, can’t we make the CADA dream a reality?
I think it is the political will and cooperation the Ijaw political bigwigs need in order to bring the CADA dream to reality.
I therefore, urges the Ijaw political leaders and by extension other coastal dwellers to be united and ensure the reality of the CADA bill.
Happy 34th Anniversary, Delta State
Comr Keneware Peremobowei Emmanuel writes from the coastal Ogulagha Community
