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As Emetulu Bags Excellence Award In Media, Broadcasting
BY PATRICK MGBODO
LEADERS of the Niger Delta have been urged to adopt a more proactive and solution-driven approach to the region’s development, rather than continually resorting to victimhood narratives and blame games.
This was at the core of discussions at the 21st Niger Delta Awards organized by the Niger Delta Awards Magazine, which was held in Asaba, the Delta State Capital.
At the event, the General Manager of the Delta Broadcasting Service (DBS) Asaba, Mrs Kristine Emetulu, accompanied by the General Manager of the Delta Printing and Publishing Corporation (DPPC), Mrs Rosemary Nwaebuni, was one of the outstanding personalities awarded for her remarkable contributions to the media industry.
Delivering the keynote address titled ‘’The Development of the Niger Delta: A Clarion Call for All Stakeholders’’, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics) of the Dennis Osadebe University (DOU) Asaba, Prof Robert Dode set the mood for the conversation.
According to him, the development of the Niger Delta the development of the Niger Delta demands accountability and commitment from everyone who benefits from the region’s resources, just as he called for environmental justice, economic diversification and human capital development for the region.
‘’Can we for a while take a break from playing the victim and blame cards and start scrutinizing how efficiently we have utilized the opportunities and resources invested in the Niger Delta region? How have we utilised the accumulated excess crude oil funds over the years?
‘’How have we managed funds accruing to NDDC? How about the HCDT funds that have been disbursed so far? When we give honest answers to these questions, we will then have the moral right to demand more from the federal government and oil multinationals.
‘’Here is the clarion call to all stakeholders, the time to act right for the development of the Niger Delta is now. Let us all reject the narrative of despair and choose transformation’’ Prof Dode charged.
