Delta 2018 Budget: Isoko Nation Protests Gross Marginalization, Passes Vote Of No Confidence On Governor, Representatives

Isoko pressure and good governance group, ‘Isoko Brains Initiative’ based in Abuja has protested against what it termed as gross marginalisation and deliberate shortchange of Isoko nation in the Delta state 2018 budget signed into law by governor Ifeanyi Okowa.

The group also passed a vote of no confidence on the governor and the lawmakers representing Isoko in the state house of Assembly, Johnson Erijo, Orezi Esievo, Tim Owhefere, saying “Our representatives have failed us, this is a deliberate and inhuman shortchange of the Isoko nation in the state 2018 budget as signed into law by the governor.”

In a communique issued by the group, shortly after its enlarged emergency meeting on Tuesday, faulted the budget and what was allocated to the Isoko nation by governor Okowa adding that the governor and the representatives of Isoko in the state legislature have failed the people.

According to the communiqué, signed by the group’s President, Hon. Urude Bartholomew, the Secretary General, Comrade Erirefe Celestine Ureigho, and Comrade Christian Appah, made available to our correspondent, “Is it a pitiable situation for Isoko nation despite her contributions to the nation’s economy and overwhelmed support for governor Okowa in the 2015 election, only to turn around a stabbed us at the back.”

“Out of a capital budget of N161,614,568,997 in the Delta state 2018 budget passed by the state legislature and signed into law by governor Okowa, what Isoko nation could get as a whole was a meagre N4, 571, 000,000 which is below 1%. The Isoko nation hereby reject the budget in its entirety because it does not reflect our interest in any way. It is a pity Isoko stooges in the Okowa led administration could not do anything when the broad day light robbery was taking place.

“In the Delta state capital budget of N161,614,568,997, Isoko nation got as follows: Construction of Ozoro Market – N350 Million, Community roads, Iyede – N180 Million, Oteri Iyede road -N80 Million, Otor Owhe Internal roads -N250 Million, Aradhe -Ellu Old road – N60 Million, Oleh/Emede road -N280 million, Emede township road -N500 million, Oleh township road – N50 million, Interlocking of Old Uzere Road, Emede N50 million, Construction of Umeh road – N300 million, Okpare Aviara road – N150 million, Erowah road – N47 million and Ikpide-Irri Internal roads – N350 million.

The group while lamenting what it called the continued shortchange of the Isoko nation by the Okowa led administration since inception, enjoined all Isoko sons and daughters to use their PVCs to do needful and vote only those who will have the interest of the Isoko nation at heart, saying “Can you imagine that ordinary mere market was allocated N350 million while road construction was allocated N50 million in the case of Oleh township road and Erowah road which got N47 million in the budget.”