By Onome Oghenetega
A popular social media activist, Samuel Meyiwa-Khalil, on Tuesday wrote an ‘Open Letter’ to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State over the alleged marginalization of the Itsekiri ethnic nationality by his PDP-led state government.
Meyiwa-Khalil accused the Okowa’s government of ‘deliberate’ underdevelopment of Itsekiri communities in the Warri Federal Constituency, declaring that the governor had not been “fair to my people (Itsekiri).”
A copy of the Open Letter sent to NIGER DELTA TODAY Online, however, fingered some prominent Itsekiri indigenes in the Okowa-led administration of playing politics with the development of the area.
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He also disclosed that few projects initiated by the present administration had been abandoned while similarly projects started at about the same time in other parts of the state particularly in Delta North had been commissioned by Okowa.
The Itsekiri-born activist posited that his Open Letter was not meant to slight the governor but to draw his attention to the underdevelopment of Itsekiri communities by his government.
Meyiwa-Khalil said, “I have carefully followed your administration since inception and I want to say without equivocation that, you have not been fair to my people – the Itsekiri ethnic nationality.
“Take for instance, you are about 5 years into this Government, I can categorically say, you have done nothing in my communities of Abigborodo and Eghoro of Warri North Local Government Area and IFIE of Warri South local Government Area.
“Suffice to say that, while you are busy with other areas, particularly in Delta North, my people in Warri Federal Constituency lament in anguish. Sir, this letter wasn’t done to slight you, but to take your mind back on some prevailing realities that has befallen us, most importantly by some of your appointees turned contractors.”
He further stated, “H.E Sir, I am aware that a certain 1KM Road in Ogidigben was awarded about the same time with the Okerenkoko internal road for construction; while the Okerenkoko internal road was commissioned by the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osibanjo last year, that of Itsekiri is in Comatose.
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“Sir, I had to personally visit the construction site in Ogidigben, Warri South west for an on-the-spot assessment, what i saw 4yrs after the project was awarded, is presently on display.
“Consequently Sir, awarding the Job to your commissioner who knows nothing about road construction was the greatest disservice your administration has done to the itsekiri people. In all honesty, I am aware you first awarded the job to Obakpor Engineering, and your commissioner from Ogidigben sponsored a protest against Obakpor so that the job could be revoked and given to him. Exactly as he wanted, you danced to his melodies, today, Itsekiris are not holding your said commissioner for gross negligence, they are pointing accusing fingers towards you.
“Furthermore sir, it may interest you to know that, Mofe Pirah, Your Commissioner for special DUTIES was awarded piping contract in the EGTL project of about #6B while he was Itsekiri Regional development Council chairman, as we speak, he has been BUILDING his personal house for the past 12yrs without completion. The house is what is on display. A man that abandoned his personal house, haven been commissioner for OIL and GAS for 12yrs is whom you expect to complete the Ogidigben road? Your guess is as good as mine.”
He, however, appealed to Governor Okowa to intervene to ensure that the few sited in Itsekiri communities were completed.
“Finally Sir, Itsekiris have been appealing to Your Commissioner for the said project to be completed, However sir, we do not know the draw backs, if funds haven’t been released or so, please do well to release funds.
“Personally, around October last year, I visited Your commissioners for Information and also of Works to ascertain what was causing the drawback on the road, in my very before, they put a call across to Hon Mofe Pirah who promised that once the rains subside, he would return to site, he specifically said first week of November, 2019. January, 2020 has almost ended, it is the same old story.
“Conclusively H.E, I wish to appeal to you to use your good office to ensure the timely completion of the road before the rains come, this is due to the fact that, the rains have always been used as a bait for the snail speed of the project.”
When, however contacted, the State Commissioner for Special Duties, Mr Mofe Pirah denied the allegation.
He challenged this medium to visit the site of the project in Ogidigben to verify if the project had been abandoned by the state government.
