Rights activist, Mulade cries out over alleged economic woes in Delta

A Delta State-based environmental justice campaigner Comrade Sheriff Mulade has raised alarm over alleged underdevelopment in the state, adding that the state is sinking economically, politically, human capital and infrastructural developments.

Mulade stated this in Abuja on Friday, while speaking with a cross session of Delta youths to mark this year’s International Youths’ Day.

According to him, the oil-rich State is sinking, describing it as the most in the economic suffering state in Nigeria, as a result of poor leadership and bad governance over the years.

While expressing his disappointment towards the sorry situation of Delta State, Mulade maintained that youths in the State had been reduced to political sycophants and thugs, narrating that “Deve” or “Agbero” is the major job available for youths.

On political appointment by the present administration, he said the highest appointment the Governor can provide for the teeming youths in the state is Senior Special Advisers (SSA) and Special Advisers (SA), which placed them as government political thugs and sycophants rather than the meaningful profession of serving the state.

Mulade pointed out that the state economy had dropped consistently as a result of uncalculated borrowings and loans collected by the present administration with little or no development impact on the people of Delta state.

He called for collective efforts of all Deltans to rescue the state through collaboration, support and experience-sharing to assist in restoring the state to its past glory which was envied by other states in the country.”

The Gbaramatu Kingdom born Chief cum activist also emphasized that the state had been blessed and privileged to have had two renowned academic medical professionals as Governors as well as two legal icons as Deputy Governors, which ought to have brought real development and professionalism in government and as well placed the State above others in terms of development.

Stressing his claims as regards the underperformance of past and present administrations, Mulade said, with Dr Emmanuel Ewetan Uduaghan and Dr Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa as governors of Delta State, the state was supposed to have and be the best health services providers in Nigeria, but that is not the case, “in fact, it is a big shame to the State”.

On the part of deputy Governors, Mulade said that” Prof Amos Otuama and Barrister Kingsley Otuara both as deputy governors of the state were expected to show to the world, particularly Nigerian youths the importance of legal profession and education in governance, and to be law-abiding state, but Delta State became the most lawless state in the nation without any recourse to human rights.”

The Environmentalist, while speaking on fixing and restoring the state to its lost glory, said that with the 2023 general elections fast approaching, Deltans, particularly the youths should choose wisely by voting for the right candidates with technical knowledge of community development, environmental base orientation, street leadership qualities, youth and women development plans.

He said: “Someone that has a deep and sincere concern for those living with disabilities, real sense for economic and educational development and infrastructure, that will bring development to all parts of the state”.

The activist said when all Deltans come together to vote in the right people as Governor, Senators, House of Representative and State House of Assembly members, Delta state will be rescued and restored from the present underdevelopment and be great once again.