Following the recent approval given by the Delta State Governor, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori for the recruitment of teachers, health workers and others into the state’s civil service, a foremost Delta state-born human and development advocate, Comrade Sheriff Mulade, has commended the decision of the governor as “a right step in the right direction” while also appealing for special attention to rural areas, especially the riverine communities of the state.
Chief Mulade, who is the Ibe Sorimowei of Gbaramatu Kingdom in the Warri South-West Local Government Area of the state, made this known on Friday, July 29, 2023, to newsmen during a chat over the development.
He said “I want to sincerely commend the executive governor of Delta State, His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, for creating the avenue for employment, which is one of the right steps in the right direction. Asides from creating jobs, investing in education is key and one of the best ways to bring development to any society and the governor has shown his commitment to the educational sector through this action, which is very commendable.”
However, the renowned peace ambassador strongly appealed to those in authority, “especially the Ministry of Education and the committees that will be saddled with the responsibilities of executing the decision of the governor to be fair to all qualified Deltans”.
He added that “The order given by the governor for employment should not be used as a political compensation, neither should it be on an ethnic basis, nor constituency project. Rather, it should be done transparently, openly and fairly to all interested Deltans as it dwells on the local government areas according to their needs.”
On the area of employment to be based on the needs of local government, Chief Mulade, who is also the National Coordinator of the Center for Peace and Environmental Justice (CEPEJ) noted that the rural and riverine areas of the state are really lacking teachers because of the nature of the terrain, and so special attention should be paid to the affected areas, not only in recruiting more teachers there but modalities should be worked out for additional incentive to encourage them for the cost of living and transportation in the riverine areas.
“Special attention should be paid to rural areas of the state, especially riverine communities that have been shortchanged from this engagement process. Now that this opportunity has come, we want to strongly appeal that special attention should be given, particularly to the riverine area that has been starved of teachers,” Chief Mulade counselled.
Speaking further, he said, “I also urge the people in the rural and riverine areas to apply for this employment opportunity given by our amiable Governor as they are more conversant with the nature of the riverine environment”.
The Environmentalist appealed “to the state government because of the terrain in the rural and riverine areas, that a special incentive should be earmarked to encourage the people in those areas in order to cushion the high level of cost because that is the only thing that will help and encourage people to take up such engagement”.
