GOVERNOR UDUAGHAN MUST HEAR THIS: Umeh is part and parcel of Delta State

Umeh is an ancient town in Isokoland of Delta State Nigeria. Its boundaries stretch through Aven, Erowha, Uwheru, Owhodokpokpor, Uzere and Aviara. It is a riverine community. And basically thrives on the cultivation of the soil, hunting of aquatic and wildlife.

Like a tourist centre, Umeh junction forms one of the spotty joints along the Ughelli-Port Harcourt expressway where harvests like fishes, snail, turtles, edible reptiles, plantain, banana, yams, cassava, palm oil, ogbono, melon, etc. are displayed in boundless seasons.

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Favoured by the network of rivers which connects Umeh from the River Niger through the Patani axis, fishing business knows no season. A fishing fiesta can even be harnessed from the Umeh surrounding waters, which is capable of attracting national cultural carnival of international repute. This can serve as source of revenue to government.

The peaceful and agrarian town can be accessed from the Ughelli-Port Harcourt expressway through an earthy road that stretches about 7 kilometres into the town. The major problem which the villagers contend with is how to connect the outside world with the abundance of their products.

Perhaps one particular area of neglect that stands out is the only road that leads to the community. Anyone visiting Umeh today would be shocked by the level of neglect and impoverishment of the people despite their contribution to the economy. As it now stand, the people have been virtually cut-off from the rest of Delta state and global civilization.

It is a sad commentary to run that both the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and the Delta State government have at various times made unfulfilled promises to intervene in the construction of the 7 kilometers road. By the present assessment, it is practically impossible to reach Umeh because of the deplorable state of the road which glaringly is a shinning example of deliberate neglect and marginalization.

What still keeps puzzling me is how this prosperous community has been allowed to languish in obscurity and neglect by successive government despite the enormity of its agrarian and aquatic produce that marvel the market forces.

In the last dispensation, ex-Governor, James Onanefe Ibori had made frantic efforts at reaching out to the yearnings of the people, but desperate and selfish political interests and personal aggrandizement could not allow the Umeh people enjoy the democratic dividends of the Ibori administration.

Apart from the road, contracts were said to have been awarded for Healthcare centre, Market stall, rural electrification project, construction of pipe borne water, fencing of the only primary school and construction of six (6) classroom blocks, as well as the construction of six (6) classroom blocks for the resuscitated Umeh secondary school. Certificate for job completion were also awarded and payments fraudulently made for personal enrichment at the peril of the people like former president Olusegun Obasanjo’s game in the Nigerian electricity projects which the Honourable Dimeji Bankole leadership of House of Representative is trying to sweep under the carpet by delay tactics.

It is the wish of the people that Governor Uduaghan constitutes an investigative inquiry into the non functionality of the projects with a view to ascertaining the true position of the status of the projects and to restore some level of confidence to the people. At least, it will be historic if the Governor Uduaghan’s administration can possibly make the Umeh community sight electricity light for once and depart from blackout. Certainly, the people of Umeh will ever remain grateful to Dr. Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan and his government.

For the deplorable road network, the terrain is very marshy and hence driving on it, is extremely tasking on both the driver and the automobile. However, if you are compelled by necessity to visit Umeh during the rainy season, the hard wrenching task of getting to your destination is multiplied many fold. And if you are lucky to visit Umeh during the dry season, you would have one problem to contend with and that is the hard, jarred, uneven road with massive potholes almost everywhere.

In the days before youth restiveness made water transportation unsafe in the Niger Delta, most farmers use water as the easiest and safest means of transportation and for the movement of goods to neighboring towns. Today, the waters have been highly policed by combined squad of military presence which invariably translates to mean that the farmers have to endure the ordeal of using the impassable road at great costs.

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 The consequence of this mal-development is that for years, some Umeh indigenes desirous of coming back home would rather be discourage to settle in nearby town and cities outside their ancestral homes. Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan should pity the Umeh people and consider their plight and place it on the priority list. The Delta State government can as well partner with the NDDC as an interventionist agency in the Niger Delta to develop the Umeh road.

Compared to other communities which had similar problems of development at the beginning of Western Nigeria and now to our dear beloved Delta State, the decline and neglect of Umeh has been seen as very shocking and revealing. However, the long years of decay, the villagers are begging our able action and amiable Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) as well as corporate organisations and NGOs to do something fulfilling and urgently too to finally resolve these problems of Umeh once and for all.

Infact, to put the records straight, it will delight the Umeh people if His Excellency, the Governor of Delta State, Dr. Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan could use his good offices to probe into the affairs of the wanton neglect of the Umeh community projects despite the resources already committed into it by successive administrations.

However, as the rains are giving way, this is another ample time to commence construction work on the Umeh road. Umeh people are praying that God intervenes in their plight so that Governor Uduaghan makes it possible for all the preliminary papers to be endorsed so that work can begin in earnest - let the contractors move to site and begin repair work. It is strongly believed that if this road is done, it would open the place to massive boom, especially with Christmas around the corner.

Thus, Governor Uduaghan must hear this – that Umeh is part and parcel of Delta state. It is the expectations of the people that any good government should listen to the governed and come to their rescue, most especially as they are begging for relevance.

Therefore, we implore the Delta State government to do more to develop the Umeh community, at least to restore dignity to life, restore confidence and integrity to the people with a view to giving them a renewed sense of belonging as part and parcel of Delta State.

Your Excellency, Governor of Delta State, Dr. Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan we are begging you in the name of God Almighty to come to Umeh aid.

Edoreh F. Edoreh (08054161769)