IYC Scores Delta Gov’s First Year in Office Poor, Alleges Marginalisation of Ijaws

Olusegun Samuel in Yenagoa

The umbrella body of Ijaw youths worldwide, the Ijaws Youth Council (IYC), has expressed disappointment in the Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori’s one year in office for ‘poor performance’, especially as it regards to the development of Ijaw lands and communities.

The IYC, while reviewing the one years in office of the governor’s administration, accused him of political manipulation, strangulation, and underdevelopment of the Ijaws in Delta State.

A statement issued by its spokesman, Binebia Princewill, said the council would not accept any further political manipulation, and warned clearly that the Ijaw people in all the states are not strangers in these states, hence they deserved to be treated fairly and blessed with the developmental vision and agenda of the state across all fronts and proper political inclusion.

It added that the council cannot continue to guarantee that the Ijaws will keep quiet for a long time as the needful has to be done before the IYC will be forced to lead a massive protest against the governor for allegedly alienating the Ijaws in Delta State.

According to the group, “As a council, we thought that as the governor is gearing up to celebrate his one year in office on May 29, 2024, which will be  few days from now, the Ayakoromo bridge would have been counted as an achievement in his one year in office but that did not  happen as the bridge is still struggling to come to limelight.

“The Ijaws in Delta State are not only contributing politically in shaping the state but are also the economic life wire of the state and beyond, hence they  have every right to demand the proper development of the Ijaw area. The call for the development of Ijaw land in Delta State and fair treatment should not be treated with kids glove.

“Hitherto, Ijaws are wondering why in the past one year, they are yet to get any commensurate developmental attention despite their immense contribution  to the  election  of Oborevwori as governor of the state. While other parts of Delta State seem to be recording some level of development, the Ijaw area remains stagnant and highly unattended to.

“From the look of things, the Ijaws are the most marginalised ethnic nationality under the Governor Oborevwori-led administration in Delta State as there is no reasonable project to point at within the last one year. This is really sad considering their political participation that brought in Oborevwori as governor of our dear state.”

IYC therefore called for among other things, the urgent establishment of the Coastal Areas Development Agency (CADA) just as the Warri/Uvwie and Environs Special Area Development Agency, and Asaba Capital Development Agency were  established by the administration of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa.

It said the urgent establishment of CADA would take care of the developmental needs of the coastal parts of Delta State, adding that the call for the urgent establishment of CADA must not be treated with levity this time around.