By Tare Youdeowei

Warri—Hundreds of Egbokodo Itsekiri indigenes in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State, yesterday, took to the streets in protest of the continued closure of the United Nations Development Programme, UNDP- funded multi-million naira skills acquisition centre for over two years.

The protesters, including old and young natives carried placards bearing inscriptions which said, “We need the training to survive in the current economy,” among others.

They were led by Egbokodo Community Public Relations Officer, P.R.O, Mr. Mike Ewetan  and an elderly woman, Madam Elizabeth Omase.

protesters

Speaking to newsmen, Ewetan said: “This project which the Egbokodo community cherishes so much cannot be left to die under our very eyes.”

They appealed to the state governor to take immediate steps to re-open the centre.

and now overgrown by weed and therefore we cannot seat down and fold our arms unconcerned, that is why we embark on this protest to register our grievance to Governor Okowa” several efforts by them and letters written including meeting with the State Commissioner of Economic Planning, Asaba, whose office oversees the running of the skill acquisition centre since the end of the Governor Uduaghan administration has yielded no fruitful result till date with all the Hi-Tech equipment lying fallow and idling away.

Mr. Ewetan disclosed further that the community is pained because no tertiary institution in the country can boast of the facilities in the school that admits students from all the twenty-five local government of Delta State without discrimination and that they have been providing security for those facilities at great cost, saying that “it is a calculated attempt to frustrate a legacy project by former Governor Uduaghan by Governor Okowa”.

Madam Omase said she joined the multitude to protest out of pain and love for the education of their jobless youths roaming without any skills, saying that “hand work is now the in-thing in the absence of white colar job”, even as the closure of the school has led to loss of petty business in and around the school vicinity.

Hon. Ewetan noted further, “this project that the Egbokodo community cherishes so much cannot be left to died under our very eyes and now overgrown by weed and therefore we cannot seat down and fold our arms unconcerned, that is why we embark on this protest to register our grievance to Governor Okowa”

Both speakers said the peaceful protest is to draw the attention of Governor Okowa to the plight of the community even as students who have completed their fourteen months of training are yet to be issued with their certificate of proficiency.

They appealed to the state governor to take immediate steps to re-open the centre.