By Rita Enemuru, Reporting
A new socio-political pressure group, the Ijaw Political Grassroot Development Movement (IPGDM), has been officially launched with a mandate to constructively engage government bodies and other key stakeholders over the persistent underdevelopment plaguing Ijaw communities in Delta State.
The group’s convener and chairman, Chief Sheriff Mulade, PhD, announced the initiative, describing the IPGDM as a platform dedicated to drawing urgent attention to the lack of basic infrastructure and social amenities in Ijaw areas.
Chief Mulade noted the stark paradox of widespread deprivation despite the Ijaw nation’s enormous economic contributions to both Delta State and Nigeria as a whole.
“It is a known fact that Ijaw communities continue to lack basic developmental needs despite our enormous economic contribution to the growth and development of Delta State, and the nation at large,” he stated.
In a statement released to journalists, Chief Mulade affirmed the group’s resolve to alter the current trajectory of neglect.
“We are therefore taking the responsibility to champion the cause of our people and to advocate for a change in the prevailing narrative of underdevelopment within Ijaw communities in Delta State,” he said.
The IPGDM leader extended an open invitation to all well-meaning sons and daughters of Ijaw extraction across the state to join the movement’s “train of constructive engagement.”
“Furthermore, we humbly solicit the support and understanding of all well meaning sons and daughters of Ijaw in Delta State to join the train of constructive engagement for this noble cause,” he added.
Chief Mulade concluded by stressing the group’s commitment to dialogue over confrontation, urging the community to rally behind the initiative.
“We humbly use this medium to respectfully invite all to join us as we lead the process for constructive dialogue towards achieving sustainable developmental progress for the Ijaw communities in Delta State,” he asserted.
The IPGDM has positioned itself as a pressure group that will prioritise advocacy, collaboration, and strategic engagement to push for tangible change in the region’s long-neglected communities.
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