By Etop Ekanem

Deputy Governor of Delta State,  Mr Kingsley Otuaro, has said that the Delta State Advocacy Committee Against Oil Facility Vandalism, which he chairs, was always open to engagement with any aggrieved group for positive advancement of the state and nation.

Otuaro, who was reacting, weekend, to threats by a militant group, New Delta Avengers, to attack oil facilities over alleged neglect of oil communities by the state government, said that the resort to agitation would be counter-productive, stressing: “Destructive activities will constitute a security risk to ongoing jobs in the state and environs for survival of our people.”

He insisted that the destruction of oil facilities, which the nation’s revenue largely depended on, cannot advance the developmental aspirations of the people.

He appealed to any group, truly driven by developmental concern for the oil communities, to resort to superior power of dialogue initiated by the state government via the Advocacy Committee.

“The state government is committed to oil communities and has approved projects for the areas. The results will soon be visible for commissioning,” Otuaro added.