Niger Delta
Delta Releases N50m For Ayokoromo Rehabilitation
The Delta State Government has released N50 million for the rehabilitation of Ayokoromo community allegedly devastated during an invasion by the military Joint Task Force (JTF) on December 1, 2010.
The Commissioner for Information, Mr. Oma Djeba, gave the hint in Asaba on Monday at a news conference.
Djeba said that the release of the fund was an outcome of a meeting between Gov. Emmanuel Uduaghan and leaders of the community after his visit to the area, on Saturday, to assess the situation.
He said that apart from the money, other steps would be taken by the government to ameliorate the sufferings of displaced persons in the community.
According to him, the amount is for the re-building of the community to enable the residents of the community to return to their homes.
Residents of the community in Burutu Local Government Area fled their homes when the JTF invaded the community in search of John Togo, a militant leader.
The people were, however, kept in three refugee camps in Warri.
The commissioner said that government would provide fishing nets, agricultural seedlings and other items needed for the people to enable them to return to their occupations.
He also announced that the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education had been directed to ensure the immediate re-opening of public schools in the community after the ongoing voter registration.
“All broken down transformers are to be repaired for power to be restored to the community and a temporary health centre, to take care of the sick, will also be established immediately,” he added.
The commissioner also said that a team, comprising the commissioners for education, health, power and energy, water resources as well as information, had been delegated to visit the community.
He explained that the team was to get first-hand information on the level of devastation in the community and ensure speedy rehabilitation of damaged facilities.
Uduaghan after visiting the community, announced that the government would build a temporary hospital for the people.
He also said that the rebuilding of the community would be done in phases and in collaboration with the Federal Government.
The state government had, immediately after the JTF action provided relief materials, such as food condiments, for the people in their camps in Warri.
The Ayokoromo people, had while protesting their continued displacement, in Asaba, accused JTF of killing many people and destroying properties worth millions of naira in the process.
They also alleged that the soldiers raped many young women and called for the immediate withdrawal of the troops from the community to enable them to return.
However, the JTF Spokesman, Lt.-Col. Timothy Antigha, denied the accusations.
“There is no truth in the allegations. No JTF personnel has been apprehended or reported to have committed rape.
“Some of the people making these accusations are used to operating outside the law; the presence of JTF in the creeks has ruined their illegal businesses and so, they want JTF out at all cost,” he said.
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