How the ongoing campaigns in Delta coastal communities is rapidly exposing politicians empty promises
By GbaramatuVoice Editorial Board
GbaramatuVoice has in the past three weeks watched with awe how the coastal communities in Burutu, Warri South West and Warri North Local Government Areas of Delta state have suddenly become a Mecca of the sort for all politicians in the state jostling for different political positions at both state and Federal levels in the forthcoming general elections in the country.
Such “mad rush” to these coastal communities have in the newspaper’s view, not only revealed the selfishness and insincerity of these politicians, but more than anything else, exposed their insensitivity to the plights of these coastal dwellers.
The lists of aspirants that have paid these unsolicited visits are endless and cuts across political divides of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), All Progressive Congress (APC), among others.
For example, Ogbe Ijoh, the Headquarters of Warri South West Local Government Area, Oporoza, the Ancestral Headquarters of the Great Gbaramatu kingdom, Ogidigben, a prominent Itsekiri Community, Burutu, Headquarters of Burutu Local Government Area, have within this period played host to political bigwigs and other vote seeking politicians.
The irony of the narrative is that these visits were undertaken via rented barges, flying boats and helicopters because none of these communities can be accessed by road. Ogbe-Ijoh for an instance, could have taken not more than 10minutes by car from Warri city if Link bridge was provided.
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Making the experience more painful is the awareness that these politicians paid similar visits about four years ago during electioneering. But today, the people of the coastal communities have nothing commensurate to show for those visits and empty promises.
From the actions and inactions of these politicians presently crisscrossing these coastal communities, GbaramatuVoice can, without fear of contradiction say that the visit is neither because they love the people nor have good intention(s) for them. Ratļher, it is because they (politicians) recognize the voting strength of these coastal communities.
Thus, as the gallivanting continues, GbaramatuVoice is tempted to pose the following questions: What could it have cost the Delta state government to construct a bridge from Warri to Ogbe-Ijoh that is just a few kilometers away? Deltans would also like to know the cost implication (budget) for linking Oporoza with Kurutie, the take-off campus of the Nigeria Marine University (NMU), Okerenkoko, that is too much for the state government to shoulder?
Is it not a shame that after 22years of PDP being in the saddle, the Governor of the state still travels to Ogbe Ijoh, Oporoza, Burutu, Ogulagha, Ogidigben, Egbema, Okerenkoko and other riverine communities by flying boats or helicopters? What shall we call this state of affairs; leadership or demagoguery? For how long will politicians in the state continue to appeal to the desires and prejudices of ordinary people rather than using rational argument and development strides?
Again, what could it have cost Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, as the Deputy Senate President, to attract a bridge for the good people of the riverine communities having in that position for the past three years? Had it been he did, maybe, who knows, the recent loss of lives of some of his party members involved in the boat mishap could have been avoided.
Looking at these sad occurrences, GbaramatuVoice believes that the political parties’ empty populist demagogue is rapidly being exposed as worthless.
It is on this note that the Newspaper calls on the people of the region to vote wisely in the forthcoming general elections in the state. Deltans, particularly the coastal community dwellers must shun instant gratification syndrome and other pecuniary considerations and vote for the people that will truly develop the riverine communities.
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