The chairman of Okrika local government council, Barr. Tamuno Williams held a stakeholders meeting with the chairmen and secretaries of the various Community Development Committees (CDC) in the LGA on Friday, May 18, 2012, at the Council’s Multi-purpose Hall.
It was tagged, “2012 Pre-Wakirike Development Coalition, Conference Sensitization Forum” and was attended by the supervisors, special advisers and advisers of the Council also.
Addressing the forum, the chairman said the purpose of the gathering was to discuss four main issues which were, to know the extent of work done by the constitution drafting committee that was saddled with the task of drafting a uniform CDC constitution to streamline their activities, which will lead to the giving of grants to them, to discuss sanitation issues in the LGA, to know what the FADAMA project is and lastly to discuss the Okrika language project which is being handled by the Okrika Bible Translation group, headed by Elder Sydney Tamunotonye Dabipi.
Mr Livingstone, a representative of Southern Field Development Partners, an NGO that recently had an understanding with the LGA to manage their sustainable development debts, was also present to have a session with the CDC leaders for relevant information that would lead to development strategies.
The chairman informed the forum that their discussions would be recorded and sent to Okrikans in Diaspora so as to elicit assistance from them.
He decried the low Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, of the LGA and stated that intensive efforts would be carried out to make progress and communities would be given a percentage of revenues generated within their environments.
Barr. Williams dissolved the task revenue force of the Okrika council and stated that a new task force would be set up.
Various suggestions were made and at the end, the following decisions were taken.
On sanitation, the forum decried the poor state of sanitation in Okrika, particularly the Island and agreed that from June 2012, sanitation would be enforced and that the council would take care of all drainages in and around the council and the island, white drainages in compounds would be taken care of by members of the CDC around the areas.
On security, the forum agreed that Okrika people want peace and so those against it shall be fished out and dealt with accordingly. Consequently a security committee would be constituted by the council, one week from date.
The forum however advised all Okrikans to be of greater security conscious so as to arrest all issues that may lead to the breakdown of law and order.
On the issue of insecurity of Egelebie community, popularly known as ‘Arab’, the forum frowned at the illegal activities of the members of the community and agreed that the council should take drastic steps to ensure that the ugly scenario cease to be part of the history of that community.
The forum agreed that while the council engages all occupants at that community, members of Okrika community are advised to advise their sons and daughters who are into the habit of engaging strangers in criminal activities in and around Okrika area, to desist from such criminal acts.
The forum also agreed on the issue of microfinance loans. Council made a firm promise that by the end of June the proposed microfinance loan would be given to the market women in and around Okrika.
On the issue of the land summit the forum agreed that there was need for such a summit and is long over due in view of the land challenges the community is facing.
On the area of ‘Gold Sport and other drinking places, forum agreed that all such drinking places and restaurant areas should be closed for business from 10pm.
The forum received the good news that Okrikans in diapora look forward to the development of Okrika and are eager to receive suggestions on areas they could help. The forum suggested support for vocational and entrepreneurial education, tourism development, skill acquisition and craft centres, attraction of companies into Okrika kingdom for the unemployed youths by utilizing their social and economic networks, establishment of farms and other investment areas that abound in Okrika waterways and the satellite towns.
Award for the fourth coming sanitation exercise for the cleanest ward would be instituted and the dirtiest ward would be announced. There was also a proposal for the Ogoloma craft centre to become maritime academy.
On Fadama the representative was not present. A day would be taken to move from community to community to explain what all would benefit from it.
The chairman led newsmen to Kalio Ama where they were shown road construction work, erection of electric poles and water project and drainages that would gulp N50m.
Retired Major Kalio whose house was affected by the road project, graciously allowed them to carve out part of it to allow for the road project that would be paved with specially molded interlocking blocks.
Earlier, the chairman of the language project, Elder Dabipi, said the project began 40 years ago and have been hampered by lack of fund.
He however stated that during his tenure, the old testament of the bible has been fully translated.
Elder Dabipi lauded the contributions of Senator George Sekibo and late A. K. Dikibo to the language project, financially.
He revealed that the Senator has promised to bear the cost of printing whenever the Old Testament is fully translated.
He appealed to the Okrika council to assist the language project financially.
A suggestion was made that fund raising be done to elicit support from all Okrikans, in addition to the council’s help.
This was accepted although the vice chairman expressed his views that it was not necessary and that the council should solely fund it.
The Divisional Immigration officer in Okrika who was present cautioned all on security and urged all to report aliens within the community for proper identification.
He gave out the numbers, 08055526336, 08037966099 and 08057595526 to call for assistance where necessary.###
Kenneth Amabipi
