Senator Joel-Onowakpo Thomas, who represents Delta South Senatorial District, has lamented that despite the district being one of the country’s largest producers of crude oil and gas, past federal administrations have shown little or no interest in developing the area and empowering the people.
He made this statement yesterday at Emede, Isoko south LGA of Delta State, while delivering a keynote address during a Strategic Leadership Retreat organised for his legislative aides. He said the district gives her all for this country, but successive governments have mainly been unfair to her.
According to him, successive federal governments have been unfair to his district regarding infrastructural development, human capital development, and inclusiveness in governance.
“Whenever I think about what Delta South is contributing in terms of crude oil production and look at the deprivation that our people are subjected to, my heart bleeds.
“There is hardly the presence of government in Delta South, and this is alarming. The pollution we experience, the environmental degradation, the lack of infrastructural and human capital development, the little or no inclusivity in governance, etc are all indicators showing how unfair governments have been to us for contributing so much,” Joel-Onowakpo said.
Joel-Onowakpo, however, expressed confidence in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, stating that the president can and will change the ugly narrative.
While inaugurating the 180 legislative aides he has appointed, he said, “The office of a Senator is officially entitled to only five aides but has gone a step further to make over 180 appointments to accommodate all interests and ensure that the people of Delta South get the best from my representation.
“This is a huge burden on me, but I have no option than to accommodate our people until the government looks our way.”
He urged the legislative aides to make good use of the office and change their political fortunes by effectively serving Delta South constituents.
