From Paul Osuyi, Asaba
Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State on Wednesday inaugurated the management committee for the resettlement of Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) in Okuama, Ughelli South Local Government Area of the state.
On March 14, 17 officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army were killed in the community, which led to residents fleeing for safety as security forces intensified search for the killers.
Inaugurating the committee which has veteran journalist and former Editor of The Guardian Newspaper, Mr. Abraham Ogbodo, as chairman, Oborevwori assured that succour was on the way for the displaced people of the troubled community.
Other members of the committee include the Director of Personnel Management of Ughelli South Local Government Council, Austin Emaduku as Secretary; Emmanuel Aguariavwodo, Festus Utuama, Reuben Izeze, Richard Kofi, Oviri Uto, Josephine Oduaran, Obukohwo Henry Ediyo, Karo Ovemeso and Austin Ohwofaria who will serve as Camp Commandant.
The governor charged the committee to carefully plan the resettlement and rehabilitation of the innocent citizens of Okuama community. He said the duty of the committee was to plan and coordinate the settlement and rehabilitation of the people at Okuama.
While once again condemning in strong terms the killing of the military personnel, Oborevwori vowed to reduce to the barest minimum the attendant effects on the common man in Okuama community.
“Innocent people have been displaced, their homes and properties destroyed, this was, and still is, an unfortunate and most unexpected development.
“Like I said when I visited Okuama the other day, the President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, and the military agreed that innocent people in Okuama should not be made to suffer needlessly.
“This is why we sincerely believe that sooner than later, the innocent ones will be allowed to return to their homes.
“It is now right for the government to set up a committee to plan their resettlement and rehabilitation ahead of their return.
“This is the minimum we owe our people, we have to reassure them to have a sense of belonging as we make adequate arrangements for their settlement and rehabilitation,” he said
Oborevwori said members of the committee were carefully chosen based previous antecedents, expressing confidence that they will do “a transparent, thorough and selfless job that not only the people of Okuama but every Deltan will be proud of you as you make adequate arrangements of receiving them and lessening their pains.
“I urge you to attach a sense of urgency to this assignment. We must demonstrate the highest degree of love and responsibility towards our people. That is the least we can do for them.” Responding on behalf of members of the committee, the chairman, Abraham Ogbodo, expressed appreciation to the governor for finding them worthy to serve in the committee.
He said their appointment into the committee was a call for service, and assured the governor and Deltans that, by the grace of God, they would live up to expectation by delivering the needed services to the people.
According to him, members of the committee would work with the sense of urgency that the state assignment requires, assuring that they would be transparent, thorough and selfless in addressing the humanitarian crisis in Okuama.