By Enitan Abel JOHNGOLD
With over eight years of creation and a new management in place, the Delta State Capital Territory Development Agency (DSCTDA) is expected to have a renew spring in its steps to actualise the MORE Agenda of the Oborevwori Administration in making a positive difference in the lives of Deltans in the State. Unfortunately, it appears that the interventionist agency, like the derailed hunter’s dog that could no longer hear the whistle of the hunter, had gone astray in search of the entrails of Deltans.
As an agency, established to give Asaba a befitting look as a capital city, through an all round development of the territory, it would had, no doubt, promoted tourism in the state, provide more comfort to Deltans and non-Deltans alike that come to the state capital for one reason or the other and ultimately boost business and commercial activities in the state capital; thereby, enhancing the economic viability of the state, but today, DSCTDA has become a CURSE to the common man that resides therein instead of a blessing in the state.
Since the exit of the pioneer Director General (D-G), Dr. Clement Ofuani, only arrogant and sadists, bent on causing pains to residents of the Asaba Capital Territory are heading the agency. If not, how would a responsible interventionist government agency be tasking and imposing unjustifiable fines on people at this time when the whole state is lamenting hardship?
DSCTDA have had limited impact on Asaba, individuals, households, and businesses.
No sensible government imposes unjustified fines on its people in this hard time when President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is appealing to Nigerian leaders to begin to rebuild communities and make them into places where love, tolerance and harmony reign.
According to President Tinubu, “We must begin to rebuild our communities and make them into places where love, tolerance and harmony will reign. Leaders at all levels, especially community leaders and traditional rulers must work to strengthen the bonds that unite us. We must end the cycle of violence and bloodletting.”
However, the Delta State Government continues to bring hardship to Deltans despite the huge allocations receiving from FAAC monthly and not to mention undisclosed monthly IGR that responsive State Governments are using to develop communities.
Go to the State Secretariat and you will see thousands of waste bin containers wasting, rotted away yet the Oborevwori-led government is imposing fines ranging from N32,000, N50,000 and above on petty traders and residents of Asaba for not having State Government Waste bin container. Not that the Government provided it to houses and the people refused to pay! They registered with Waste Disposal Companies that carry their refuse from plastic drums, boutal drums and other waste plastic containers to dumpsites time to time but just because they do not have the State Government specification container which Government itself failed to provide the DSCTDA imposed heavy fines and forced them to pay.
One needs to go see what the kangaroo Mobile Court sitting under the dais of Cenotaph Asaba is doing to residents of Asaba.
You won’t believe when I heard the DSCTDA prosecutor telling the Magistrate that the Agency’s Enforcement Charge is a million naira.
A petty trader with name withheld said she had to sell off her refrigerator to raise the money to pay the N70,000 fine and enforcement the Magistrate A. O Monye held DSCTDA Mobile Court imposed on her.
Another is already planning of selling the wares in her shop at auction rate, just to pay Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s-led government DSCTDA Mobile Court because no money and she didn’t know what to do to survive after that.
A 74 year old retired Architect from Illah in Oshimili North living at Amb. Ralph Uwechue Way who disclosed that he supervised the building of the Cenotaph and the Specialist Hospital Okpanam, despite his plead to the presiding Magistrate and the Isaac Nwosu of DSCTDA was asked to pay what his three months pension cannot even afford. He was just there lamenting.
Another slim tall fair complexion 78 years old business man that was asked to pay about N300,000 was also seen weeping and wailing raining curses on them too.
One would expect a responsible and focused government to provide its choice waste bin to houses and direct the people where and how to pay for such, instead of bullying residents of the Capital Territory.
Why can’t people use plastic containers to store waste/refuse that waste collectors carry time to time? It seems the Delta State Capital Territory Development Agency (DSCTDA) was created to underdevelop Deltans.
Delta State Government does not have the people at heart, if not, why this time of hardship? It lacks human heart and does not care if the people live or not. All they care is how to rip off the people….
The DSCTDA should be reminded of how some of their party candidates were stoned during the 2023 electioneering campaigns because of the evil deeds they did and the development they failed to bring.
But why should they be worried when they are stone-hearted? Was it not a former head of that DSCTDA that was reported to be slapping people everywhere, including an old woman family member? We read how the agency’s former boss was destroying, seizing people’s goods everywhere, including perishable goods that were taken to its Anwai Road office until such good rotted in the name of development.
The Sheriff Oborevwori’s-led government needs to think humanity first before delving or taking some actions. I over heard a woman, a petty trader praying for Hon. Barr. Bridget Anyafulu yesterday at that same Cenotaph for her leadership style. If you think the people are not seeing you they are watching and on the judgement day, God of justice will visit you.
Let the Oborevwori Administration stick to its promise to turnaround the state for more development in the state. It is not enough to pretend to be working for the people when same government is ripping same people off through the establishment of agencies like the Delta State Capital Development Agency that has been making life miserable for residents in the state capital territory.