Ahead of the 30th anniversary of the creation of Delta State, some members of the Seventh Assembly of the State Legislature have spoken on the need for sustained democratic governance in the country as there was no better alternative to democracy.
The Lawmakers, including the Deputy Majority Leader, Kenneth Oboro Preyor, Deputy Chief Whip, Solomon Ighrakpata, Majority Whip, Festus Okoh and the Chairman, House Committee on Water Resources, Peter Uviejitobor, attributed the accelerated development in the state to the return of democratic rule in 1999.
The legislators spoke in separate interviews in Asaba, the Delta State Capital.
The Deputy Majority Leader, Hon Oboro Preyor, who represents Bomadi Constituency, and the Deputy Chief Whip, Solomon Ighrakpata, representing Uvwie Constituency, said looking back to 27th August 1991 when the state was created, a lot of progress have been made as a people.
Hon Preyor and Ighrakpata highlighted several achievements made across all the sectors of the state economy, and expressed joy of the twenty two years of uninterrupted democracy in Nigeria, stressing that strides by successive government in the state since the return of democratic rule had brought lots of prosperity and growths to the state.
Maintaining that challenges must be there as it was certainly difficult to get a perfect state, the two principal officers stated that it is “work in progress”, as the present administration was not resting in it oars at ensuring sustainable peace and development in the state.
The Lawmakers expressed happiness of the existence of a “United Delta”, even as they enjoined the people to continue to see the multi ethnic nature of the state as added advantage to expand the frontier of development to the envy of others in the comity of states.
For their part, the Majority Whip, Hon Festus Okoh, representing Ika South and the Chairman, House Committee on Water Resources, Peter Uviejitobor, who represents Udu Constituency, said a child of thirty years has come of age and paid glowing tributes to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa for building upon legacies of his predecessors.
Hon Okoh and Uviejitobor maintained that the state is doing well in the areas of peace and security, physical infrastructure and human capital development amongst others and expressed optimism of better days ahead.
The Lawmakers stated that as legislators and key stakeholders in the governance of the state, they would continue to mobilize support to straighten and improve the development and stability of the state.
The respondents emphasized the need to encourage the youths to meaningful ventures as many have derailed, even as they appealed for continued unity of purpose for enhanced growth and development in the state.