By Oye Chukwujekwu,
Asaba
Delta State indigenes especially those of the Oil and Gas bearing communities have been called upon to embrace peace to enhance oil production in their areas which would ultimately shore up the revenue base of the state.
Delta State Deputy Governor, Kingsley Otuaro, made the appeal in Warri, at the 2017 Swamp West Hub Integrated Stakeholders Engagement Forum For Ogunu Community, Iduwini Delta and Ojobo Cluster Communities Leadership, organised by Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), Nigeria Limited.
Otuaro said that the forum by SPDC, which was geared towards how to operate in peaceful environment with host communities, was apt, even as he asserted that peace and security remain key components of the state government and leaders of the various communities and kingdoms.
According to him, “In line with the SMART agenda of the Delta State Government, peace building to enhance social harmony is very key to us. Thus we have institutional structures put in place in pursuant of peace and security to achieve our electioneering promises to all Deltans,” Otuaro said.
The state deputy governor said that the Delta State Peace Building Advisory Council, Delta State Advocacy Committee Against Pipeline Vandalism, Delta State Security Waterways among others were instituted by the state government to create and promote meaningful peace platform for social harmony and investors to thrive in the state.
He applauded Deltans for the relative peace and security in the state, even as he encouraged them to keep up the development, saying that government requires maximization of all resources to achieve its promises.