INVESTIGATE AND CREATE AWARENESS, EBEGBA TO JOURNALISTS AND OPPOSITION.

Immediate past Director-General of the National Biosafety Management Agency NBMA, and Chairman FCT Police Community Relations Committee PCRC, Olorogun Dr Rufus Ebegba KSJI, has tasked opposition parties and the Press, on the need to live up to the responsibility of aggressive advocacy in Delta State, in the face of harsh economic realities, and as a means of keeping the people informed about the true state of affairs.

Speaking from Abuja, the Delta APC Chieftain and Chairman Board of Directors, Rufus Ebegba Centre for Leadership And Environmental Sustainability, said that the present harsh economic realities being experienced need to be carefully observed, with members of the opposition, and the Press, having a responsibility to dig deep in order to give Deltans accurate information and the real picture, away from the perceived insincerity of the present leadership in the state.

Dr Ebegba said" At this time, I believe it is important for the Press and the opposition in Delta State to take their job seriously, because the people need to be aware of the true state of the economy and finances of the state.

"Today, Deltans suffer, but are only blaming the federal government for the pain occasioned by subsidy removal and increase in cost of living. 

However, from the facts available, the administration of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori clearly has a lot to explain with the State's finances, having received hundreds of billions altogether since coming to office.

" The opposition in Delta State led by the APC must, therefore, live up to its name and responsibility by exposing necessary details to Deltans in order to enable the people accurately direct their anger, disappointment and expectations to the state government, and not just President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR. The Press must also present us with investigative exposé, to help the knowledge and awareness of the people, and guide their expectations aright. It is not a matter of personal preference, but for the benefit and advancement of Delta State.

Speaking further, the pioneer NBMA DG expressed his unhappiness at the seeming docility and inability of the state government to really address the welfare crisis and costly standard of living in the state.

He said, " The removal of subsidy is just one aspect of the realities on ground, because that decision also led to a doubling or tripling of the Federal allocation to states, with Delta State claiming its position at the top with humongous allocation averaging over 23 billion Naira Monthly, aside internally generated revenue.

" Oil derivation allocation to the state also increased substantially, and VAT was also shared for the past 9 months, to the tune of billions of Naira.

" The essence of these developments puts the bulk of development on the state government which seems without an idea, but it appears that the opposition in the state is also sleeping on these major talking points, which has given the PDP led administration of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori JP, breathing space despite inferior leadership.

" The opposition must rise to the occasion by bringing information to the knowledge of deltans, so that they hold the state government responsible and reduce the fixation on the Federal Government," he added.

Dr Ebegba similarly called for a renewed approach to leadership for Gov Sheriff Oborevwori whom he describes as a brother-in-law that he respects, who however must work hard to reduce the hardship in the state which he termed "unnecessarily concentrated and extreme".

"Mine is not a pattern of antagonism, rather my shared kinship with Governor Sheriff, and the reports from my supporters who are the common men on the streets across the state, has necessitated the need to raise this alarm in the our collective interest " Ebegba concluded.