LAGOS DECEMBER 25TH (URHOBOTODAY)-Ndokwa East Council of Delta State, yesterday, unveiled a 10-year development plan aimed at effectively tapping natural resources and other potential of its communities.
At the event with the theme: “Unleashing the Potential of Ndokwa East,” chaired by Prof. Albert Osakwe, the people adopted a 13-man Board of Trustees for Ndokwa East Development Organisers (NDO) with a three-year tenure.
Speaking, an executive member of NDO, Prof. Mrs. Julie Umukoro, who spoke on The Seers of Our Golden Age And Vision of A New NELGA, said the summit marked a new beginning for Ndokwa East.
Umukoro, who is a professor of Semiotics and Performance Studies at the University of Port Harcourt, said: “This crowd of town and gown gathered here today can be best described by the title of Evans Ufeli’s A Gathering Of The Tribes.
“As a participant, you are summoned at the behest of NELGA Golden Sages, young Ndosimili patriots, who have been in incubation for over 50 years, precisely, since the creation of Aboh division in 1960.
“One visible mark of a developed nation is the possession of integral well-structured governance and a penal apparatus factored into the system. One had expected that Nigeria, often called the giant of Africa, would have taken the lead in this direction, but, unfortunately, the reverse has been the case and the so-called giant has become greatly dwarfed by corruption.
“Ndokwa East, being a microcosm of Nigeria is no different. These are referenced in the high-powered marginalisation, exploitation, subjugation and corporate infringement now the order of the day in the area.
“The despoiled rivers and farmlands resulting from oil spills, the widespread poverty of farmers and fishermen denied their livelihoods, the perennial flooding and the hazard of periodic migration and displacement, lack of infrastructure, electricity, access roads and many more,” she added.
Speaking, an official of the Federal Road Emergency Management Agency, (FERMA), Ben Olisa, outlined setbacks and perennial challenges that people of the oil rich local government face.
“The challenges in communities are overwhelming and most communities lack basic amenities with little or nothing to show as the presence of government or dividends of democracy. The challenges are overwhelming with little or no infrastructure to show for its support for democracy,” he said.
A former Speaker, Delta State House of Assembly, Olisa Imegu, disclosed that the Diapora members sent their appreciation and expressed their determination to abide by decisions reached at the summit.