By Zik Gbemre

It is really sad that the area called Delta State, which was once an integral part of the old Western Region of Nigeria that became an autonomous entity on August 27, 1991 after having been part of the old Midwestern State (1963 1976) and the defunct Bendel State (1976 1991), with once admirable cities like the famous Oil City of Warri; is now nothing but a shadow of itself, particularly from May 1999, when Nigerian’s Democratic dispensation started, to the present. To thoroughly x-ray the developmental progress and changes that took place in Delta State within this period of democratic rule, would obviously keep everyone here bored to their bones. Hence, I have decided to have a summary overview of Delta State in the last 20 years or so.

To put it bluntly, and without mincing words, Delta State as an entity in the Niger Delta region, has not changed as many would have expected the State to change, considering the enormous internal and external revenues of wealth it has enjoyed in Government coffers from May 1999 to May 2019. Aside the ‘little glorious years’ it exhibited in the late 80s and early 90s, that ‘glory is no more’ – with Delta State practically being a shadow of itself. So, rather than Delta State and its populace to witness economic growth, better standard of living and significant sustainable infrastructural developments across all sectors, considering the enormous chunk internal revenues, Federal monthly allocations, plus the 13 percent derivation money accrued to Delta State since 1999 in the State till date; what we have presently in Delta State is worsening level of poverty, deprivation, hardship, decaying and non-existing infrastructure, depreciating and declining economic growth.

Every sector in Delta State is replete with serious problems that calls for concern. It is within this 20years period that Delta State witnessed a massive exodus/relocation of Oil and Gas Companies, which include the almighty Shell (SPDC), Pan-Ocean, and other Oil Contracting Services firms and countless businesses, out of the State. It was within this same period that the security situation in Delta State worsened with the alarming increase of kidnapping, armed robbery, militancy, youth restiveness (youth violence), cyber fraud (yahoo-yahoo), illegal bunkering (oil theft)/illegal refinery, and all kinds of heinous crimes that were never there before. Our youths are seen daily roaming about the streets without jobs, and they have resorted to using ‘Deve’ and all kinds of crimes to survive. Any sane and well-meaning Deltans should be agitated and pained by all of this.

It was under these two decades that the State’s infrastructure went from bad to worse, while the health sector became an apology of a healthcare system for any citizenry to rely on. The Educational sector, which received a little boost in terms of infrastructure renovation under the administration of Uduaghan, is now going down the drain from bad to worse. Not to mention the practically abandoned sectors like tourism, which has nothing to write home about, despite the fact that Delta State, being a coastal State with natural waterways and rich traditional attributes, has so much to offer to the rest of the world.

All of this, and everything we see wrong today in Delta State, is simply as a result of the BAD GOVERNANCE. DELTA STATE HAS NOT WITNESSED ‘GOOD GOVERNANCE’ FROM 1999 TO DATE. Without mincing words, Delta State, despite being one of the most blessed States in the country with its enormous oil and gas wealth, has unfortunately had the worst set of political leaders since 1999 till date. These so-called political leaders of Delta State, have been running and handling the vast Delta State Resources/wealth with reckless abandon and impunity as if it were their private wealth and businesses. Every time one looks around Delta State, compare to what one sees with what the State earns and accrued as revenue on a monthly/yearly basis, one is left seriously disturbed as to how long must we remain in such pathetic condition? But of course, those that are ‘gaining’ and ‘benefitting’ from the system (no matter how distorted it is), will argue here and tell you otherwise that “all is well” – “the Government is working”. Since the inception of Democratic rule from 1999 till date, it seems like Delta State has practically been run aground.

The only two basic and visible infrastructures to look at in Delta State, which makes it look like something had happened within the past two decades, is the Delta State Malls (Shoprite) Shopping Centres in Effurun-Warri and Asaba. The other is the so-called Asaba Airport, whose standard has been an issue of controversy and has rendered it practically useless to the economy of the State. Apart from these two visible infrastructures, there is nothing more one can really pinpoint in Delta State to suggest that we have a people-oriented Government from 1999 to date. So, we can say that the journey so far for Delta State, from 1999 to date, has been quite rough and tough for many Deltans and Nigerians in the State. Even though some others ‘benefiting’ from the system would tell you otherwise.

Take the Osubi Airstrip for instance, which was thriving and booming (even with its size), when Shell (SPDC) was fully operating in Warri. I remember how I used to fly from Warri via the Osubi Airstrip to Port-Harcourt between year 2000 to 2006. This flight route only takes about 15 minutes, and I have flown it more than forty times. But today, the Osubi Airstrip is now a shadow of itself. You cannot even fly from Warri any more unless you are really lucky to get a flight. Despite the strategic location and the importance of the Osubi Airstrip near Warri, it has remained an Airstrip, as such, Warri today, as the commercial nerve center of Delta State, has no standard Airport.

We have reiterated the fact that no State or country can develop without the Government’s provision and assurance of basic infrastructure and guaranteed security. In other words, If the Delta State Governments were serious about creating employment and improving the State’s economy, they ought to have fixed up all the decaying and non-existing infrastructure in the State and make the business environment very attractive for investors and industry players to come in and drive-up the fortunes of the State. When the basic infrastructures are not there, and no guaranteed security, how then will investors be attracted to come and invest in the State? What made the US, France, Germany, Italy, UK and the United Arab Emirates-Dubai (UAE) what they are today? They simply have committed Governments over the years that have dedicated themselves to providing the basic infrastructure and security assurance needed for economic development to thrive, most of which were/are driven by foreign and domestic investors. But here in Delta State, our Governments from 1999 to date, are more concerned and interested about what they hope to gain, reap, benefit, and consume for while in Office, without any thought of the tomorrow and future of the State, or how their actions of yesterday and today affect the near and far future of the State and its populace.

Sadly, whenever I say and express what I see going wrong in Delta State, these set of politicians and their beneficiaries often call and label Zik Gbemre as a ‘trouble maker’, while some of them will say I should stop being parochial just because they are not comfortable with the bitter truth. For some other politicians in Delta State, they have attempted severally to frame up Zik Gbemre, with cooked up allegations, aimed to stop me from my advocacy. But I am not deterred or discouraged by all of this. I will continue to speak out against what is wrong in our society, regardless of who or what is involved.

We can continue to say a lot of things that are wrong, and have been made wrong in Delta State between May 1999 to May 2019, but we will leave well-meaning Deltans and the Nigerian public to do the rest analysis of Delta State in the 20 years of the PDP-led Government in the State.

Zik Gbemre.

National Coordinator

Niger Delta Peace Coalition (NDPC)