By Scroll reporter Lagos, Nigeria.
DELTA State Governor, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa has said the govt efforts in collaboration with security operatives in tackling kidnapping activities in the state was yielding positive results.
Okowa made the disclosure yesterday in Asaba when the Principal, Petroleum Training Institute (PTI), Effurun, Prof. Sunny Iyuke led top management of the institution to pay him a courtesy visit.
The governor decried a situation where most of the arrested kidnappers are young men and are not from the southern part of the country, assuring that kidnapping activities have greatly reduced in the state.
He called for vigilance among the people, noting that “with the signing into law of the Delta State Anti-Cultism and Anti-Terrorism Bill 2016, the Judiciary has been very proactive, six special courts have been set up to try those who were arrested for kidnapping and acts of terrorism and we are confident that issues of kidnapping and related offences would be a thing of the past in our state in the nearest future to encourage socio-economic life of the people.”
Okowa also, assured the management of PTI of his administration’s continual assistance to Federal Government’s institutions, stating that apart from giving attention to federal road projects that have failed, the Chief Job Creation Officer in the state would liaise with the PTI for some beneficiaries of his administration’s different skill acquisition programmes to utilise the institute’s facilities.
He disclosed that more than 4000 youths have been trained in the different skill acquisition programmes which were designed to train, equip and mentor the beneficiaries to enable them succeed in their chosen fields.
On the issue of Delta Glass Company and the Asaba Textile Mill, Governor Okowa disclosed that there were challenges as it concerned receivership of the companies which his administration was working on in the overall best interests of Deltans.
Prof. Iyuke had in an address, listed out areas the PTI could partner with the Delta State government and also, lauded Governor Okowa’s administration on its “developmental effort in the state.”
