Communities in the oil-rich Ndokwa East Local Government Area of Delta State have issued a biting indictment of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s administration over what they describe as years of abandonment. The residents, who are battling extreme hardships, have decried the devastating impact of neglect, worsened by recent floods that have left them isolated and struggling to survive.
Pastor Godwin Osademe, a rural development advocate and pastor with the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), sounded the alarm in a statement released in Lagos. He highlighted the plight of communities like Akarai Etiti, Akarai Obodo, Umuti, Iyiowu, Onogbokor, Afiankwo, Umuolu, Ibrede, and Iyede-Ame, all of which have been cut off due to destroyed roads and ravaging floods.
Osademe painted a grim picture of life in the affected areas, describing it as “unbearable.” He detailed how floodwaters have eroded already poor roads, inflated the cost of goods and services, and destroyed agricultural produce, leaving many in poverty and starvation. Farmers, he noted, now face the daunting task of planting crops in January only to harvest prematurely by August to avoid complete losses to flooding.
The situation has turned dire for these predominantly agrarian communities, where access to trade routes has been severed. Roads that once connected them to economic hubs like Aboh, Kwale, and Onitsha are now impassable. Osademe pointed out that a road project initiated by Governor Ambrose Alli of the defunct Bendel State in 1983 to link these communities was abandoned and has remained a distant memory ever since.
The neglect has not only left the roads in shambles but has also driven up the cost of living. Osademe cited the exorbitant prices residents now face, explaining that transporting a bag of cement from Aboh costs an additional N1,500, a financial strain for an already impoverished population contributing significantly to the nation’s crude oil revenue.
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Osademe did not hold back in questioning the roles of key agencies like the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC), and the Delta State Government. He criticized their failure to address the suffering of the people, calling it a betrayal of the Millennium Development Goals often paraded by policymakers.
The communities are demanding immediate intervention. Osademe appealed to the state government, the NDDC, and other relevant agencies to prioritize infrastructure, including road construction and potable water supply, and to provide support for agricultural development. He emphasized that these are essential steps to rescue the people from their worsening plight.
In a direct appeal to Governor Oborevwori, Osademe urged the administration to break the cycle of neglect and address the plight of Ndokwa East. “The government must act now to fulfill its responsibilities to its people,” he said.
The Ndokwa East communities’ cries for help have amplified the glaring disparities in development within Delta State, putting Governor Oborevwori’s administration under increasing pressure to act. As these communities continue to struggle, their voices grow louder, demanding a change that will bring an end to decades of neglect.