The Delta State Government has officially explained its decision to close the Ewu Camp, a facility which temporarily served as a shelter for the indigenes of Okuama, who were displaced from their ancestral home by the Nigerian Army following the killing of 17 soldiers in March 2024 along the community’s waterfront in Ughelli south local government area of the state.
The State Commissioner for Works (Rural/Riverine Roads and Public Information), Mr. Charles Aniagwu, stated this on Monday January 13, 2025, that Governor Sheriff Oborevwori was building school and health centers for the people.
Speaking during a press briefing in Asaba, the state capital, Aniagwu, who has been recently tasked with overseeing the State Information Ministry, provided the updates on what the government was going in Okuama.
Accompanied by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Sir Festus Ahon, and the Executive Assistant to the Governor on Public Enlightenment (Projects and Policies), Mr. Olisa Ifeajika, Aniagwu, emphasized that Governor Oborevwori’s was working to bring in individuals to equally assist.
Hear him: “Now, the Okuama you talked about, you know we are building some public facilities there, particularly like health centers, schools in that area. That’s what as a government we can do.
“Because you know you are going to go into trouble if you begin to build individual housing units for them.
“We are also trying to see how well-spirited individuals could also come in to assist.
“But why it was good that they go back to their ancestral home, is because these are individuals who are very much used to fishing and other form of riverine agriculture.
“And if you keep them away for so long, you would have not only destroyed their ecosystem in that environment, you would have also made life not much more unlivable for them.
“So that was why we asked them to go back while we’re put in some of those public infrastructure.
The Commissioner said, the housing units are for Deltans.
“The administration has commenced the building of 50 housing units made up of 30 three bedrooms and 20 two bedrooms in Ozoro, Kwale and Owa-Oyibu as a pilot scheme, while eight units of duplex are also being constructed to accommodate more Commissioners in the quarters.
“We have one of them in Ow-Oyibo, Kwale and Ozoro for the pilot scheme. They are being built in such a way that they will also carter to the needs of Deltans”, he said.
