A Delta State-born human and environmental justice advocate Comrade Mulade Sheriff has called for the rescue of Delta State from sinking economically, politically and in human capital development.
Comrade Sheriff, who stated this in Abuja, while speaking with a cross session of Deltan youths to mark International Youths Day, described the state as the most economically- backward state in the country as a result of poor leadership and bad governance over the years.
He said youths in the state had been reduced to political sycophancy and thuggery, claiming that; “Deve” or “Agbero” is the major job available to youths due to lack of employment and economic empowerment by the state government.
On political appointment by the present administration, he said the highest appointment the governor can provide for the teeming youths in the state is senior special advisers (SSA) and special advisers (SA), which placed them as government political thugs, rather than meaningful profession of serving the state, lamenting that “this is really disheartening.”
He pointed to the fact that the state’s economy has continually dropped as a result of uncalculated borrowings and loans collected by the present administration with little or no development impact to the people of Delta state, “Hence, this requires the collective efforts of all Deltans to rescue the state through collaboration, support and experience-sharing to assist in restoring the state to its past glory and to be envied by other states in the country.”
He also claimed that since the creation of Delta State, the state has been blessed and privileged to have had two renowned academic medical professionals as governors as well as two legal icons as deputy governors, which ought to have brought real development and professionalism in government and as well place the state above others in terms of development but the reverse is the case.
Comrade Sheriff further said with Dr Emmanuel Ewetan Uduaghan and Dr Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa as governors of Delta State, the state was supposed to have and be the best health services provider in Nigeria, but that has not been the case.
On the part of deputy governors, Sheriff said that Prof Amos Otuama and Barrister Kingsley Otuara both as deputy governors of the state were expected to show to the world, particularly Nigerian youths the importance of the legal profession and education in governance, and to be law – abiding state, but Delta State became the most lawless state in the nation without any recourse to human rights.
According to him, with the 2023 general elections fast approaching, Deltans, particularly the youths, should choose wisely by voting the right candidates with technical knowledge of community development, environmental base orientation, street leadership qualities, youth and women development and a deep and sincere concern for those living with disabilities.
