2019: What Hon Taju Isichei What To Turn Around

Okonta Emeka Okelum, Asaba

One of the front line and popular candidates aspiring to represent Oshimili South State constituency at the forthcoming general elections, shared what he wants changed.

Hon Taju S Isichei, party flag bearer of the Labour party, recently, during a press conference at his campaign office, unveiled the central theme of his campaign advocacy and message.

Enough is enough, he proclaimed, its time to put an end to so many political and social economic trends in my beloved Oshimili South State Constituency.

When I look around me, I see many things that can change and I see a lot of lives and opportunities that can be improved through a purposeful and effective representation.

This is what I believe in and intend to make happen as I seek the votes of my people to represent them at the state assembly, Hon Isichei told our reporter.

I will ensure that my good people of Oko community have motorable road in and out of their communities.

Our youths will enjoy educational scholarship opportunities, benefit from youth empowerment schemes, more job creation and entrepreneurial Windows will be opened to them.

At the very center of my programs are our mothers, sisters, daughters, wives, single mothers and most especially, our widows, both natives, resident or married here, as I plan to implement functional social economic development initiatives for them, Hon Isichei promised.

The fast pace making candidate vowed that his only driving motive is to offer quality and effective people oriented representation.

Chronicling his intentions and leadership visions from his manifesto, promised to monitor and ensure that budget provisions for the constituency are implemented to the letter.

I will make sure that all interior parts of our constituency enjoy good roads, quality healthcare centers, safe water supply, security and steady electricity power supply.

Asaba cultural ceremonies and activities will receive more attentions from me, with a view at placing them on the global map of tourism and hospitality.

My representation will respect, strengthen and enhance more opportunities for all traditional institutions in the constituency.

The good people of my constituency will be consulted before, during and after implementation of all people oriented projects and programs.

I will operate an open door policy, my people are my priority, their needs is closest at my heart.

For me now is the set time to have all that negatively impact upon them changed, hence, 'Enough Is Enough' remains the central theme of my campaign message.

I know that my people understands and are ready to work with me on this mission to effect the desired turn around they had longed and prayed for.

Enough is enough, let us all join this train that is divinely appointed to bring about the fore ordained turn around for my people of Oshimili South State Constituency, Hon Taju Isichei assured Oshimili South State Constituency voters.

SOURCE: ASABA POST NEWS WIRE (ONLINE)

Oil & Gas: Community Stakeholders Unveil Exploration Impacts

Okonta Emeka Okelum, Asaba

Recently, community stakeholders drawn from Delta and Akwa Ibom states, shared insights into the impact of oil and gas exploration in their host communities.



At a two days capacity building event implemented by a non government organization, Connected Development (CODE) at Asaba, community stakeholders unveiled positive and negative impacts of exploration activities in their communities.

In the past few months, Connected Development and Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Center, had implemented a Conflict and Fragility project, funded and supported by OXFAM.

The project is designed to help improve transparency and accountability in the oil and gas sector by involving and building the capacity of stakeholders within the sector.

The two day capacity building event witnessed active participation of community stakeholders from Mkpanak and Obodo Ugwa Ogume communities of Akwa Ibom and Delta States.

Youth & Women leaders, religious opinion shapers, primary & secondary schools teachers, healthcare workers, Community Development Council executives, members of community elders council, students, community trading and artisan union leaders also participated at the two days event.

One of the remarkable section of the capacity building event was an experience sharing opportunity provided for community stakeholders to share both positive and negative impacts of oil and gas exploration within their communiflaringObodo Ugwa Ogume community participants pointed out that they had entered into and signed a functional memorandum of understanding with the exploration firm in their community, wherein a 3% gross profit of the firm is shared with both host and impacted communities.

Mkpanak community participants also pointed out that some new exploration firms around their communities had in time past offered scholarship opportunities to their children as well as few employment placements.

Both communities shared that there are not enough government presence within their communities, especially in the areas of healthcare and other social economic livelihood enhancing aspects.

Participants lamented the harsh realities of unemployment of community youth population as well as the horrors of oil spillage and gas flaring, its closeness to their homes, farmlands as well as it's adverse effect to agricultural yield and harmful impact on their very source of livelihood, worried participants.

The opinion that government at all levels benefit heavily from oil and gas exploration was sustained but participants pointed out that their communities are yet to be positively impacted by government agencies.

The general opinions of both community stakeholders was that the exploration firms in their communities had positively impacted upon them than their communities had benefited from the government.

SOURCE: ASABA POST NEWS WIRE