By Victor Bieni, Asaba
Comrade (Chief) Sheriff Mulade, Renowned Niger-Delta Environmentalist, Development Advocate and human Rights Activist has again appealed to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State and the Members of the Delta State House of Assembly led by Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori to kindly consider the establishment of the proposed “Coastal Areas Development Agency (CADA)”.
The National Coordinator, Centre For Peace And Environmental Justice (CEPEJ), Comrade Chief Sheriff Mulade made this disclosed in a press statement personally signed by him, which was made available to some group of Journalists in Asaba, Delta State today being on Thursday, 14th day of July, 2022, he stated that the quest for creating CADA is aimed at giving hope of development and sense of belong to the riverine peoples of the State.
The Ibe-sorimowei of Ancient Gbaramatu kingdom, on behalf of the riverine people of the state, urged Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and the Speaker, Delta State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori to speedily consider the passage of the CADA bill, with a view to bringing development closer to the people and by this write their names in gold for posterity.
Chief Mulade, the initiator and conceptualizer of CADA appealed to the lawmakers to give thoughts to the enormous benefits of CADA, and work for the immediate passage and establishment before the end of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa’s administration.
The statement reads in parts: “It would be recalled that the appeal for the creation of CADA began in February 2018, long before other sister development agencies were created by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa”.
“The appeal for the consideration and passage of CADA bill was reforwarded via a letter which was acknowledged as received by the Delta State Government.
A copy was also received by the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, on the 22nd of January, 2020″.
“Unfortunately, the Bill has not been given any consideration despite being in line with the demands by Deltans in the coastal communities, seeking a legislation to establish an agency saddled with the primary mandate to fast track development of coastal communities in the State”.
“It will be unfair to the peace-loving people of riverine communities, if they are continuously marginalized through deprived development. A continuous neglect of the CADA Bill by relevant stakeholders is making the coastal communities feel subjugated rather than having a sense of ownership to the common purse”.
” It may just be poor to make them remain in the stratum of a deprived and abandoned people. The Government of the moment can only be noted to have done very well if the coastal communities have this inclusiveness through the establishment of the CADA agency”.
“I want to strongly and sincerely appeal to the current administration of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and the Speaker, Delta State House of Assembly Rt Hon Chief Sheriff Oborevwori to urgently consider this people oriented request and do the needful as we approach the 2023 General Election”.