Illah community in Oshimili North Local Government Council, Delta State, is in a state of neglect and needs urgent attention, for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the state government to mean anything to the indigenes, Special Correspondent, OYE CHUKWUJEKWU, reports.
Poor infrastructure in his domain and delay in recognition of his office by the government are among the key issues currently bothering THE traditional ruler of Illah Kingdom, Delta State, Obi Akaezue II.
Obi, the Ogbelani, particularly described the delay in the recognition of his office as unfair on the part of the government, in a chat with TheNiche in his palace. He lamented the ugly developments in his community against the backdrop of the huge contributions of the indigenes in the development of the state.
Illah, he said, contributes in raising the internally-generated revenue (IGR) of the state through proceeds from various agricultural products paid to the Oshimili North council.
He described his people as farmers and fishermen who, through self-help, have embarked on development projects without government support, adding that the community has arable land for agriculture and would be ready to partner with the Governor Ifeanyi Okowa administration if it would integrate them into its Youth Agricultural Entrepreneurs Programme (YAGEP) that aims at training youths on agriculture and diversifying the state’s economy.
He spoke on Okowa’s campaign promise on “prosperity for all Deltans”, which he said, is yet to be felt by the people, adding that Illah community had been in darkness for the past six years with nothing being done to ameliorate the situation.
The monarch noted that aside the dilapidated state of the federal and state roads within Illah, the only secondary school in the community is also in bad shape. This was even as he commended the past administration for the enabling environment it provided for the primary school at the community.
He expressed surprise that even as the present administration has agricultural development as a cardinal objective, his community with large expanse of arable land, is not benefiting. He regretted that even when the people formed corporative societies to enable them access loans from government, the initiative has not worked for them, adding that several letters had been written and sent to the Government House to that effect without result.
Drawing government’s attention to the menace of flooding which occurs every rainy season, he stressed that the situation poses serious threat to the people, especially those living by river sides.
Akaezue further pleaded with the state government to recognise his office, arguing that he was installed the paramount ruler by the entire Illah indigenes.
In addition, he pleaded with the relevant authorities to restore electricity in the community, an exercise he said would enhance further production of their various agro-allied products and processing units, especially garri.
He also urged the government to rehabilitate the roads in the community to enable farmers move their products with ease, rehabilitate the secondary school and provide decent market for them.
Pleading with the local council to provide site for dumping of refuse generated from the market, the monarch said indiscriminate dumping of rubbish in the market pollutes the environment and exposes the people to diseases.
But in apparent response to Akaezue’s demands, an indigene of the community who is the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on SDGs, Andy Ilabor, appealed to his people to exercise patience with the government, explaining that why development had not come through the directorate was because Oshimili North had not met up its side of the bargain in terms of counterpart funding needed for execution of the projects allocated to developing areas.
He remarked that though Illah is one out of many communities that have not benefitted in the state, the community has not been forgotten by the government. He implored on the monarch and his subjects to exercise patience, adding that Governor Okowa is a man that does not fail in his promises and will definitely bring development to the community.