ASABA/Nigeria: Delta State Commissioner for Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu, has restated calls for the shift from an oil-based economy to diversify into agriculture and human capacity building.
Aniagwu made the call today, when he received on a courtesy call, the leadership of Delta Online Publishers Forum (DOPF) in his office in Asaba.
The commissioner bemoaned the dislocation suffered by the Nigerian economy over the years and blamed it on the over-dependence on oil exploration and exploitation.
“The issue of oil exploration and exploitation has reduced agriculture and our economy. Any effort that will make us move beyond oil will be a welcome development. We have other crude such as human capital which if properly harnessed will broaden our economic base,” Anaigwu said.
He lauded the theme of the forthcoming lecture of DOPF, saying that the resource persons chosen were versatile enough to do justice to the issues of Niger Delta and diversification from oil, adding that the forum did sound research on its choice of persons as guest speakers.
The information commissioner also praised the members of DOPF for demonstrating professionalism in their job, saying unlike some others, whom he said, were in the habit of mixing blackmail with journalism.
Earlier, the Chairman of DOPF, Mr Emmanuel Enebeli, said that the visit was to intimate the commissioner on its annual lecture billed for 19th -21st October, 2021, with the theme: ‘Niger Delta Economy: Building a New Face for the Region’.
Enebeli listed guest speakers expected to include the immediate past governor of Delta State, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan; Niger Delta activist, AnnKio Briggs; and Delta Commissioner for Higher Education, Prof. Patrick Mobuoghare.
Others, according to the DOPF chairman are the immediate past Provost of Federal College of Education Technical, Asaba, Dr Ignatius Ezeom; and environmental activist, Comrade Sheriff Mulade.
He added that the member representing Aniocha/Oshimili Federal Constituency at the National Assembly, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu would be the chairman of the occasion.
While hinting that the three-day event, which would climax on Thursday, 21 October, 2021 would feature training session for its members, tour of projects by the Delta State Government, awards of deserved individuals, including Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and Delta State Government.
