Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State has been urged to give backing to the establishment of a Coastal Areas Development Agency, CADA, in the state.
NewsNet Nigeria gathered that the privately sponsored bill for the establishment of the agency has been with the Delta State House of Assembly since February 2018, long before other sister development agencies were created by Okowa’s administration.
The bill it was learnt is yet to be read on the floor of the House allegedly because Governor Okowa has not given his nod to it.
Delta-born development advocate and human rights activist, Comrade Mulade Sheriff while speaking about the bill again appealed to Okowa to consider the establishment of the proposed agency saying the quest for the creation of CADA is aimed at giving hope for development and a sense of belonging to the riverine people of the state.
Mulade, a Niger Delta-born Environmentalist, on behalf of the riverine people of the state, also urged the Speaker, Delta State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori to speedily consider the passage of the CADA bill, with a view to bringing development closer to the people so as to write their names in gold for posterity.
Mulade who is the initiator and conceptualizer of CADA appealed to the lawmakers to give thought to the enormous benefits of CADA, and work for its immediate passage and establishment.
He said, “Unfortunately, the Bill has not been given any consideration despite being in line with the demands by Deltans in the coastal communities, seeking legislation to establish an agency saddled with the primary mandate to fast track development of coastal communities in the State.
“It will be unfair to the peace-loving people of riverine communities if they are continuously marginalized through deprived development.
“Continuous neglect of the CADA Bill by relevant parties is making the coastal communities feel subjugated rather than having a sense of ownership of the common purse. It may just be poor to make them remain in the stratum of deprived and abandoned people.
“The Government of the moment can only be noted to have done very well if the coastal communities have this inclusiveness through the establishment of the CADA agency.”
