…urges FG to create avenue for dialogue

…Thanks God for Delta at 30

By Festus Ahon, ASABA 

GOVERNOR Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, Friday, said there were too many voices of anger calling for justice, fairness and equity in the affairs of the nation, urging the Federal Government to create avenue for dialogue amid various challenges facing the country. 

Okowa who stated this at an interdenominational thanksgiving service to mark the 30th anniversary of the creation of Delta State, held at St Phillips Anglican Cathedral, Asaba, said there were too many voices of anger calling for justice, fairness and equity in the affairs of the nation.

Urging the Federal Government to take steps to listen to the voices of reasoning, he said; “if is not well with the nation it will not be well with the component parts. 

“We must not build a nation for the elites and the rich because the rich and the elites will not live peacefully in a country were there and many poor people. 

“We are still in a nation were so much power does rest in the cente with the Federal Government and I believe it is not right and it is time for more powers to be devolved to the states and more money and resources given to the states. 

“Nigeria will be better for it if we restructure but the greatest challenge we have is as a result of insecurity and it is pushing many people more into the poverty line. 

“As a country we are troubled and there are so many ethno-religious crisis but its time for us to sit down and talk otherwise we may not be able to continue as a nation 

“In staying as a nation, we must find solutions to the voices of anger and we must dispassionately look for the opinion leaders in the different parts of Nigeria and speak truth to ourselves”. 

While congratulating Deltans on the 30th anniversary, he said the state had come thus far because God’s presence had been with the state. He thanked past leaders of the state for laying a solid foundation for the development of the state. 

Okowa said: “We have come to realise that we are one people though with different ethnic groups and we have come to realise that we can only do better if we work together as one state.

“I thank our past leaders for laying a solid foundation for the development of the state which we have been building upon. We thank God because that foundation is truly strong. Today in Delta we can look round and find that there are many growing towns in the state unlike most states. 

“We have several growing cities in Delta state and when you take a tour to many states you will find out that God has truly blessed us in Delta state. We are growing at our own pace, we may not all be able to grow at the same pace and we must realise this as a nation”. 

Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Asaba, Rt. Revd Justus Mogekwu in his sermon, said Delta was a microcosm of Nigeria because of the diverse ethnic groups in the state, adding that despite the diversity, Deltans have lived together in unity, love and peace. 

He commended Deltans for their resolve to work and live together in the overall interest of the state, adding that a state were bigotry, bloodshed, bitterness, intolerance among other vices exist could hardly make any progress. 

Quoting from John 15:1-9, Bishop Mogekwu, said the future was bright for the state as long as Deltans continued to put their trust in God in all their ways. 

He said politics without integrity is the bane of Nigeria’s development and urged politicians to stop cross carpeting from one party to another. 

The thanksgiving service was attended by wife of the Governor Dame Edith Okowa, Chief James Ibori, Sir Benjamin Elue, former military administrator of the state, Navy Commander Walter Feghabo (retd), Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Chief Ndudi Elumelu, Speaker Delta State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, his Deputy, Chief Christopher Ochor, State Chief Judge Justice Theresa Diai, State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chief Kingsley Esiso, among others.

Vanguard News Nigeria