Chief Executive Officer of Delta State Orientation Bureau, Dr Latimore Oghenesivbe, has said that the realistic reforms encapsulated in the MORE agenda are yielding positive socioeconomic results in Delta State, with the commencement of the Ecosystem restoring programme in communities affected by environmental degradation occasioned by many years of crude oil exploration.
He made the assertion while speaking at the blue chamber of Bridge FM radio, a peoples’ parliament live phone-in programme on Tuesday in Asaba, saying that the programme which is an initiative of Serendib Capital of Uk, Eight Versa and Foundation for Partnership Initiate in collaboration with Delta State Government, is expected to solve environmental degradation problems, create wealth and job for youths and people in Communities affected by activities of crude oil exploration covering 250,000 hectares of land across Delta, and in the Niger Delta region, making it the second largest ecosystem restoration programme in the world.
Oghenesivbe assured that Governor Sheriff Oborevwori remained committed to the overall development of the three senatorial districts, adding that the programme entails mangrove forests and seagrass restoration, youth empowerment, credit facilities for people in those communities, enhanced development of the educational sector aimed at providing quality formal education and to bring life back to people who hitherto suffered economic loses and environmental degradation, to what complement efforts of multinational oil companies and major stakeholders.
He disclosed that the state government and the governor, Elder Oborevwori, will continue to ensure the prosperity and well-being of all Deltans, and shall continue to partner with foreign and local investors to boost the agricultural sector for food sufficiency and export, invest in clean energy and Independent Power Project on PPP arrangements, provide cheap housing for civil servants and end flooding through the ongoing underground water tunnels across the state.
Oghenesivbe who is also the Executive Assistant on Communications to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, further asserted that the recent “Governor of the Year Award” bestowed on him by Silver Bird Television Network, would obviously inspire the governor to work even harder while describing the prestigious hall of Fame Award as well deserved, and the beginning of many more national, international Awards and Honours that shall characterize his eight years tenure as governor of Delta State.
Responding to callers’ concerns raised about possible insecurity due to rising acute hunger and starvation in the country, occasioned by anti-people economic policies of the APC national government, the Head of Delta State Orientation Bureau assured that the state government and the governor take the issue of insecurity very seriously, and as such will continue to engage royal fathers, leaders in various communities, women, youths and non-indigenes for sustained peaceful coexistence, adding that government will continue to assist and partner with security agencies in the state to ensure sustained crime-free Delta State.
He said Governor Oborevwori is pained by the escalating hunger in the country, adding that the state government shall continue to do the needful to ameliorate the persisting hardship through deliberate efforts in social security, welfare, empowerment programmes while engaging youths in productive ventures through vocational training and skills acquisition.
The EA Communications commended the governor for his prudent management of Delta State resources without borrowing a penny from any bank or financial institution in the past nine months and counting, as well as the transparent distribution of palliatives across the three senatorial districts to alleviate hunger, N10,000 allowance per civil servants for three months and other supports.
He assured that Governor Oborevwori shall continue to do the needful to advance Delta, pointing out that, because the Finger of God is upon Delta State, there shall be no case of people looting warehouses and stealing pots of soup as reported in some parts of the country, and that Delta is making steady progress in socioeconomic advancement as reflected in the Silverbird Television Governor of the Year Award bestowed on the Governor.
On the issue of hawking and selling of illicit drugs in some parts of the state, more particularly along Okpanam road and Pinnacle junction, Oghenesivbe assured callers and listeners that the State Commander of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, and the governor shall be notified about their complaints, while acknowledging that the State Command of NDLEA has achieved remarkable progress in her WADA efforts within nine months of this administration.
He posited that law enforcement agents in the state will continue to crackdown on sellers and end users of hard and illicit drugs, stating that Governor Oborevwori, is a major stakeholder of NDLEA on War Against Drug Abuse, and to that extent, illicit drug sellers and end users shall be tracked and apprehended to face prosecution, while those suffering from addiction shall be rehabilitated, undergo vocational training and skills acquisition before reintegration into the social milieu.
As for the forthcoming local government election and the role of Delta State Orientation Bureau on sensitization campaigns, Oghenesivbe said Delta State Independent Electoral Commission, DSIEC, remained the umpire, and that after the release of the elections timetable, the Bureau shall commence sensitization campaigns, while assuring that his team shall partner DSIEC, Nongovernmental Organisations and other stakeholders to carry out impactful and far-reaching public awareness in the area of voters education; voters apathy, articulation of criminal elements associated with vote buying, and the need to have a violence-free election.
