Dekawei Urges Okowa To Prioritize Passage Of CADA Bill
By Binebai Princewill
The governor of Delta State Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa have been urged to give priority to the much anticipated Coastal Areas Development Agency (CADA) Bill and ensure it becomes a law without further delay.
Amb. John Dekawei, Niger Delta Youth leader made the call in an exclusive chat with The Liberator Newspaper recently in Asaba, the Delta State capital.
The renowned philanthropist particularly described Governor Ifeanyi Okowa as a listening Governor that has the people at heart, adding that the spread of various legacy projects to all nook and cranny of the state is a pointer to his detribalized nature.
He asserted that the concrete road projects in Gbaramatu, Ogulagha, Iduwini and other Ijaw kingdoms were some of the laudable projects the Governor have sited in Ijaw areas.
Dekawei pleaded with the Governor to consider the CADA Bill as it is important to people of the Coastal Areas beyond political appointments, stressing that it will be a glowing history if the Governor is able to put pressure on the state house of assembly for the urgent passage of CADA Bill into law.
The appeal is coming sequel to an earlier appeal to lawmakers of Ijaw extraction in the Delta State House of Assembly to support the bill and treat it with the urgency it requires.
Dekawei, who is also the chairman cum founder of the John Dekawei Foundation (JDF), a Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) that have been touching and transforming lives around the World maintained that CADA should be the collective interest of all sons and daughters of the Ijaws in Delta State and beyond, stating that passage of the bill should not be delayed because of its importance.
The renowned Niger Delta philanthropist insisted that if there is any issue that Okowa should priotise at this time, it must be ensuring that CADA becomes a reality as the destiny of the areas affected lies so much in the bill.
He said Gov Okowa will have no excuse for not bringing CADA to fruition in his administration
While Commenting on the benefit of the bill, he said if passed, it will help diffuse the needed development and add capacity to the long forgotten communities of the creek that will see the Delta Ijaw nation celebrating again, stressing that political appointments were not enough to truly allay the fears of the people.
He insisted that establishing CADA will to some extent balance the age long imbalance of alienation in the coastal areas of Delta State.
He said that the creation of CADA is long overdue, because coastal areas have numerous development defects that only a well thought out bluebrint such as CADA can help to remedy.
He said CADA has no need for much debate in the legislature considering that there is already existing Warri, Uvwie and Environs Development Agency and Delta Capital Territory Development Agencies created by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa after undergoing legislative processes.
He said CADA cannot be different from other similar agencies as it would mean a lot to the coastal communities and her people in the state, adding that some of these places are the largest producers of oil in the state hence compensating them for the many years of unrequited oil revenues with CADA remains the best thing to do.
According to him, establishing CADA will to some extent balance the age long imbalance of alienation in the coastal areas of Delta State.
