Governor Sheriff Oborevwori has been urged by well-known Niger Delta environmental and development activist Mulade Sheriff to “adopt a pragmatic approach towards industrializing Delta State through agriculture and aquaculture.” Mulade insisted that “Delta State cannot be an exception, especially as the state is richly endowed with human capital and natural resources which are the keys to unlocking the greatness of the state,” despite the fact that leaders worldwide are now implementing strategies to harness their nations’ resources for greater infrastructure development, job creation, and economic growth, which translates to wealth creation. Copies of the statement, which was signed by the well-known activist, were distributed to reporters in Warri on Monday.”Adopting an agro-based industrialization strategy would go a long way to creating wealth for the state’s teeming unemployed youths and women,” Mulade, who is also the Ibe-Serimowei of Gbaramatu Kingdom in Warri South-West Local Government Area, said as he urged Oborevwori to industrialize Delta State using its agricultural and aqua-cultural endowments.
By engaging them, it will reduce the rate of unemployment and food scarcity, while boosting food sufficiency and its affordability, a key to reducing the poverty index of the state,” he asserted.
Mulade said, “Delta State is greatly endowed with arable land and marine resources that can turn the State into a food basket for local consumption and create revenues via exports while also achieving the aim of diversifying from an oil-dependent economy in the long run.”
According to the development advocate, “industrialisation of Delta State through agriculture and aqua-culture would create opportunities for youths and women, and curtail the wastage of idle human resources and turn them into assets that can contribute their quota to the growth and development of the State”.
“Agro-based industrialization will help to reduce the insecurity challenges, criminal tendencies, and immorality prevalent in society,” Mulade added. An idle mind is the devil’s factory, as the adage goes. When the adolescents and women are actively involved, this would promote peace and minimize anti-social activities like armed robbery, and prostitution, amongst others, and in the long term, attract more investors into the State. In addition to crude oil, the state’s riverine regions contain a wealth of undeveloped resources, particularly in the aquaculture industry. By harnessing the potential of the young people without jobs in the creeks, the coastal regions can become seafood exporting hubs and sources of income.
Failure of the State government to meaningfully engage the next generation would amount to societal devastation that would be difficult to recover from as the negative impact would be disastrous”.
Mulade, therefore, appealed to the Oborevwori administration to prioritise the industrialisation of the state through agriculture and aquaculture, as Delta has a lot to benefit in the long run.
“These poor areas should be strategically looked into, devoid of politics, for the interest of the future of our dear Delta State.”
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