Rights Activist Sends Goodwill Message To Deltans

By Oguns Sammy (Warri)

The Vice Chairman of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), Delta State branch, Comrade (Amb) Derrick Oritsematosan Agberen, has said everybody especially the youths would enjoy the year’s Christmas and new year celebrations if they shun social vices such as kidnappings, armedrobbery, drug abuse, cultisms, which are capable of sending them to correctional centres.

Comrade Amb Agberen stated this today, Thursday in a chat with news men in Warri, the Warri South Local Government Area of the state in his message to the youths who may want to pepertrate social crimes in the bid to make money in preparation for Christmas and New year celebrations.

He said any youth who thinks the best way to prepare for the festivity is to engage in crimes is making a big mistake as the law has no human face as anybody caught in any of the social vices would face the wrath of law.

He said: “if we must enjoy the forth coming Christmas and new year celebrations, we must stay away from crimes in all ramifications.”

The human rights activist said although the economy is not friendly, that does not mean one should engage in crimes in order to have money to celebrate the Christmas and New year celebrations, saying, whatever amount of money one gets genuinly would be enough to have peaceful celebrations.

While thanking the Nigeria Police Force for their efforts so far in ensuring that the state especially Udu Local Government Area is crime free to a large extent, he urged them to keep the flag flying in this direction just as he urged the police authority to flush out the bad eggs in the force who have continued to extort money from motorists and motorcyclists to avoid them dragging the good image of the Police Force to the mud.

He said: “l use this medium to specially thank the Nigeria Police Force for their continued efforts in reducing crimes. And to redeem the image of Nigeria the Police Force, the bad eggs among them should also be flushed out.”

On the coming year, the iights activist charged the youths to take up a trade to engage in if they cannot afford to go attain formal education as they would be more productive and useful to themselves, their family, their local government area, the state and country in general if they have something doing to occupy them.

While pointing out the worrying issues, facing the State, the activist did not forget to commend the Delta State Governor, Sen. Dr. Ifeanyi A. Okowa, on the series of programmes which he had put in place to reduce unemployment and crimes and to provide opportunities for the youths across the 25 Local Government Areas of the State.

He further said that failure of any government to create an enabling environment for sustainable growth hinders peace and development in that area.

In his words: “I want to commend the Delta State Governor, Sen. Dr. Ifeanyi A. Okowa, for the tremendous work he has done so far, through the several empowerment programmes he has put in place to enable a stronger Delta State. The entrepreneurship programmes, women and the girl child empowerment schemes, and the widows welfare schemes have indeed provided opportunities for the people of Delta State; but the Government needs to do more. Many youths have not really benefitted from these schemes; and it is why crimes are still on the rise”.

Comrade, Amb Agberen also called on the Delta State Government led by Senator (Dr) Ifeanyi Okowa to play its part by repositioning the economy of the state come next year by establishing industries for the teeming graduates who are mostly youths to work as one of the major causes of social vices such as armedrobbery, kidnappings, and others which are rampant in the state is lack of employment for them.
He said:’ it is obvious that one of the causes of kidnappings, armedrobberies and other social vices in the state in particular and Nigeria in general is lack of employments for many graduates, so, l use this opportunity to call on the state government to do the needful to enable our youths to have job to do to fend for themselves and their families”.

He said it is mockery for a state which has vast lands not to have industries to occupy them for the youths to work.

He said: “There are lots of land(s) in Delta State. from Agbarho in Ughelli in Ughelli North LGA to Ozoro down to Asaba but the lands are not in use. It is quite painful.”

While thanking the state government for upgrading the various colleges and polytechnics in the state to university’s to train manpower, it would not be good that the only job available to do upon their graduation is tricycle operation which is popularly called ‘keke”.

He therefore called on the Delta State Government to sit up in this regard.

He said: “l use this medium to thank the state government under the leadership of Senator (Dr) Ifeanyi Okowa for upgrading the various colleges and polytechnics to universities across the state to train more manpower, it should complete the circle by establishing industries for them to work instead of the graduates riding tricycles called keke”.
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Amb. Agberen also thanked other human rights activists across the state and beyond for fighting injustice and urged them to continue as it is the combined efforts of all that social vices can be stamped out in the state in particular and Nigeria in general.

He said: “A tree cannot make a forest, it is the combined efforts of lovers of justice that the fight against injustice would be won once and for all.”

He therefore wished all lovers of truth and justice in particular, Deltans and Nigerians a happy Christmas and prosperous new year in advance.