Francis Sadhere
Delta State Commissioner for Transport, Hon. Benson Igbakpa has reiterated the state’s government resolve to carry out its 3 point agenda of peace and security, human Capital Development and infrastructural Development to a logical end.
Hon. Igbakpa who spoke on behalf of the governor, stated this in his keynote address weekend, in Oghara during the Oghara Elite Forum End of Year Get together and Presentation of Awards to deserving personalities, held at Oghara, Delta State.
He said; “The Delta State Government is serious about infrastructural development, human capital development, peace and security. The state government is very serious about delivering the dividends of democracy to the people of Delta State.
He urged private companies working in Oghara to complement the efforts of the state government by playing their corporate social responsibility role, stressing that the state government cannot do it all alone.
He also taxed the private companies to also play a part in the development of Oghara community by fixing bad roads and employing the youths, adding that the youths in the community should be looked at as resources to be harnessed and not people to be used.
While urging the youths to shun all social vices, he tasked them not to allow themselves be used by politicians as 2015 was around the corner.
He said Governor Uduaghan is a listening governor, adding that the people of Oghara should always feel free to ask the government any question they want to ask.
He thanked the organizers of the Oghara Elite Forum, saying that the forum was a place where intellectuals have gathered to constructively criticize the government.
He also noted that Pan Ocean Company that was hosted by Oghara community, has failed the people, pointing out they have not been able to play their corporate social responsibility role in the community.
Also speaking at the occasion, the Bishop of Anglican Diocese, Bishop Blessing Erifeka, admonished the people to stop amassing wealth for themselves but rather use their wealth to help the downtrodden in their community.
While saying he was happy that the award was celebrating indigenes of Oghara, he lamented that Nigerians do not have the fear of God in them and that was why we found ourselves in the situation we are in today.
Also, delivering his lecture titled, ‘Oghara: What Does Tomorrow Holds,’ Reverend David Ugolor, chided politicians, who he described as tenants, for celebrating corruption in the country.
Ugolor said the present political system in the country cannot not be sustained because emphasis had shifted from celebrating hard work to celebrating mediocrity, a situation he added was destroying the country.
He noted that sustenance built on intellectual reform and not political office was the only thing that can take the country to the next level.
Ugolor, who is also the convener of Oghara Study Group, (OGD), tasked the Oghara people to develop its political machineries so that they could have a strong voice in the much talked about National Dialogue.
He said; “Oghara people must send their best to the proposed national dialogue. They must develop their political machineries if they want to go forward in the present political structure. Our sustenance is built on intellectual reform and not on politics.”
He recommended that the people of Oghara should begin to train politicians that can represent them in the polity of Nigeria, adding that without adequate representation the people will not have a strong voice in Nigerian polity.
