Former Commissioner of Commerce and Industry in Delta State, Chris Ekiyor, has lampooned Delta Ijaw Peoples Democratic Party PDP, elite, saying they should bury their heads in shame for supporting Governor Ifeanyi Okowa for the past seven and half years without landmark projects in their area.
He said: “Where are the connecting roads in Ijaw areas constructed by this current administration? The only major project by Okowa’s administration in Ijaw area, the Ayakoromo bridge, has been abandoned despite our votes and oil revenue accruing from the Ijaw-speaking LGAs of the state.”
Ekiyor, who addressed newsmen at his country home, Patani, headquarters of Patani LGA of Delta State, criticised the state government for taking N150 billion loan, using oil assets from Ijaw-speaking area of state without a corresponding development to oil-bearing Ijaw communities.
Ekiyor, who is a former National President of Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, noted that such huge loan facility would plunge the state into heavy debt burden for future government to contend with.
He accused the state governor of using previous loan acquired to develop his Ika communities, leaving other senatorial districts in shambles.
He berated the state government for boasting of building floating market in Warri North LGA and constructing 91 kilometres road in Burutu, saying it was a shame that a governor was making that an issue, when he knew that a mere NDDC contractor can deliver such project.
Ekiyor said he dumped the PDP to APC because PDP has no development road map for the Ijaw, as the Okowa government upgraded three institutions to universities and could not consider the Ijaw areas for any, not even transferring the Ozoro Polytechnic to Bomadi Polytechnic.
