By Our Correspondent, Warri
Bishop Ajokpaoghene Okijenu, the General Overseer, Praise God Revival has called on President Bola Tinubu to urgently reactivate the moribund Delta Ports.
Okijenu made the call while speaking with newsmen on Thursday in Warri.
The bishop whose Church domiciled at Enerhen in Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State, recalled how the President pledged during his presidential campaign to dredge the Warri water and make the Delta Ports active.
He noted that three years after the emergence of Tinubu as president, the Delta Ports had remained inactive.
“I challenge the President that you lied to us. When you came to Warri for campaign, you promised that the Delta Ports will be brought alive within your six months in office.
“The Warri river will be dredged so that vessels can come to the Delta Ports. By May 29 this year, President Tinubu will be three years in office, yet nothing has been done to the ports.
“What has Niger Delta region done to Hausas and Yorubas. How can only one sea port be operational in Nigeria.
“The Warri and Calabar Ports are shutdown for many years. How can only Lagos Sea Port be working in Nigeria, Federal Government is not fair to us.
“Government should come and dredge the river and open the Sea Port for our people to get jobs,” he said.
The cleric expressed displeasure over the federal government’s resolve to renovate the Lagos Ports with over N1 trillion.
While describing President Tinubu as the most embarrassing travelled president in the world,
Okijenu lamented the dearth of federal infrastructure in Warri.
“The Refinery and the Delta Steel Company (DSC) are not operational. Government could not revive them.
“The federal government approved housing complex in Warri, till date, they have not mobilize to the construction site.
“The only job you can find in Niger Delta now are commercial motorcycling, tricycling, bus driving, night and day guards.
“Others are: pastoring petroleum products retailing, bread selling, bakery and among others,” he said.
Okijenu called on Papa Ayo Oritsejafor, Bishop Awomakpa, Rev. Gideon Oyibo and other religious leaders as well as traditional rulers in the Niger Delta region to prevail on the presidency to reactivate the abandoned sea ports in the region.
“I call on our former president of PFN and former president of CAN, Papa Ayo, what are you doing? Your people are hungry.
“Talk to the president to come and dredge the river so that our teeming youths can be gainfully employed.
“The royal fathers should also use their connections to prevail on President Tinubu to come and dredge our river so that vessels can sail through,” he said.
He commended High Chief Government Ekpemupolo alias (Tompolo) for providing legitimate jobs to the teeming unemployed youths in the Niger Delta.
The bishop also thanked the Delta State governor, Sheriff Oborevwori for his infrastructure drive in the state, noting that the massive development had been able to prevent crisis in the state, “because there is too much hunger in the land”.
“God will judge president Tinubu if he fails to reactivate the comatose Delta Port,” he said.
Bishop Ajokpaoghene Okijenu, the General Overseer, Praise God Revival has called on President Bola Tinubu to urgently reactivate the moribund Delta Ports.
Okijenu made the call while speaking with newsmen on Thursday in Warri.
The bishop whose Church domiciled at Enerhen in Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State, recalled how the President pledged during his presidential campaign to dredge the Warri water and make the Delta Ports active.
He noted that three years after the emergence of Tinubu as president, the Delta Ports had remained inactive.
“I challenge the President that you lied to us. When you came to Warri for campaign, you promised that the Delta Ports will be brought alive within your six months in office.
“The Warri river will be dredged so that vessels can come to the Delta Ports. By May 29 this year, President Tinubu will be three years in office, yet nothing has been done to the ports.
“What has Niger Delta region done to Hausas and Yorubas. How can only one sea port be operational in Nigeria.
“The Warri and Calabar Ports are shutdown for many years. How can only Lagos Sea Port be working in Nigeria, Federal Government is not fair to us.
“Government should come and dredge the river and open the Sea Port for our people to get jobs,” he said.
The cleric expressed displeasure over the federal government’s resolve to renovate the Lagos Ports with over N1 trillion.
While describing President Tinubu as the most embarrassing travelled president in the world,
Okijenu lamented the dearth of federal infrastructure in Warri.
“The Refinery and the Delta Steel Company (DSC) are not operational. Government could not revive them.
“The federal government approved housing complex in Warri, till date, they have not mobilize to the construction site.
“The only job you can find in Niger Delta now are commercial motorcycling, tricycling, bus driving, night and day guards.
“Others are: pastoring petroleum products retailing, bread selling, bakery and among others,” he said.
Okijenu called on Papa Ayo Oritsejafor, Bishop Awomakpa, Rev. Gideon Oyibo and other religious leaders as well as traditional rulers in the Niger Delta region to prevail on the presidency to reactivate the abandoned sea ports in the region.
“I call on our former president of PFN and former president of CAN, Papa Ayo, what are you doing? Your people are hungry.
“Talk to the president to come and dredge the river so that our teeming youths can be gainfully employed.
“The royal fathers should also use their connections to prevail on President Tinubu to come and dredge our river so that vessels can sail through,” he said.
He commended High Chief Government Ekpemupolo alias (Tompolo) for providing legitimate jobs to the teeming unemployed youths in the Niger Delta.
The bishop also thanked the Delta State governor, Sheriff Oborevwori for his infrastructure drive in the state, noting that the massive development had been able to prevent crisis in the state, “because there is too much hunger in the land”.
“God will judge president Tinubu if he fails to reactivate the comatose Delta Port,” he said.
