BY GODWIN IJEDIOGOR
DELTA State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, on Wednesday, April 24, inaugurated the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Management Committee to bring succour to the displaced people of Okuama community in Ughelli South Local Council following the military invasion in the aftermath of the killing of 17 officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army there on March 14, this year.
The members of the committee, which has veteran journalist and a former editor of The Guardian newspaper, Mr. Abraham Ogbodo, as Chairman, and Director of Personnel Management (DPM), Ughelli South Local Government , Chief Austin Emaduku, as Secretary, include Emmanuel Aguariavwodo; Festus Utuama; Reuben Izeze; Richard Kofi; Oviri Uto; Josephine Oduaran; Obukohwo Henry Ediyo, Karo Ovemeso and Austin Ohwofaria, who will serve as Camp Commandant.
While inaugurating the committee at Government House, Asaba, Oborevwori charged the members to carefully plan the resettlement and rehabilitation of the innocent citizens of Okuama community.
He stated: “Much as we condemned, in strong terms, the dastardly act that took the lives of our gallant officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army, we will do everything we can to reduce to the barest minimum, the attendant effects on the common man in Okuama community.
“Innocent people have been displaced, their homes and properties destroyed. This was, and still is, an unfortunate and most unexpected development.
“Like I said when I visited Okuama, the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, and the military agreed that innocent people in Okuama should not be made to suffer needlessly. This is why we sincerely believe that sooner than later, the innocent ones will be allowed to return to their homes.
“It is now right for government to set up a committee to plan their resettlement and rehabilitation ahead of their return. This is the minimum we owe our people. We have to reassure them to have a sense of belonging, as we make adequate arrangements for their settlement and rehabilitation.”
He added: “Note that you have been carefully chosen based on your previous antecedents. We are, therefore, confident that you will do a transparent, thorough and selfless job that not only the people of Okuama, but every Deltan will be proud of you, as you make adequate arrangements of receiving them and lessening their pains.
“I urge you to attach a sense of urgency to this assignment. We must demonstrate the highest degree of love and responsibility towards our people. That is the least we can do for them.”
Responding on behalf of members, Ogbodo expressed appreciation to the governor for finding them worthy to serve in the committee, saying their appointment was a call to service.
He assured the governor and Deltans that they would live up to expectation by delivering the needed services to the people, noting that members would work with the sense of urgency the assignment requires, and be transparent, thorough and selfless in addressing the humanitarian crisis in Okuama.
