A group of Delta State citizens has berated some members of the Delta State House of Assembly for embarking on a wasteful capacity building seminar.
While the group, Anioma, conceded that capacity building programmes are sometimes necessary, it claimed that the objectives of this particular seminar are unclear.
“The Board of Trustees and entire members of Anioma voice worldwide wish to express our utter disappointment in the conduct of our nine elected representatives in the state assembly regarding the unnecessary and wasteful venture undertaken by the entire members of the DTHA in the name of ‘Capacity building leadership course’’ currently going on at the Goldman School of Public Policy, University of California, USA,” Chief Messenger (UK) of the group, Comrade Akamesike Emmanuel Okonne and International Public Relations Messenger (USA), Comrade Smart Ajaja wrote in a statement.
“While we acknowledge the fact that some kind of capacity building, leadership training and/or refresher courses are sometimes necessary for lawmakers in the course of carrying on their official responsibilities. As representatives of the Anioma people in government, it is assumed that the course was undertaken on our behalf even when such a venture was not communicated to the constituents.
“Apart from the objective of the tour not being clear, we are shocked that all nine representatives would leave their seats in the state assembly at the same time, thereby leaving their constituencies unrepresented only to indulge in such a wasteful venture with our limited resources.”
Anioma said that as holders of the trust of the people of Delta North Senatorial zone, it wanted clarifications from the lawmakers on the value of the course to the average Anioma citizen who have been deprived of basic social amenities, the reason why the course if actually necessary was not held anywhere in the country,
the resources being expended on this course, and the reason why the notice for the adventure of the course was not published for public knowledge.
“We see this off-shore training course as a needless jamboree and a waste of our fund that could have been better used to uplift the welfare of the people of our constituency,” the group went on.
“As a responsible and concerned body whose primary objective is to promote and propagate accountable representation of our people, Anioma Voice Worldwide cannot close her eyes to this profligate expenditure, which represents nothing but a mortgage against the future wellbeing of the youth of our constituencies.
“Coming at a time graduate unemployment in our constituencies is at an all-time high, we view this seminar as a waste of our limited resources. We therefore demand a clear-cut explanation on why you all choose to undergo on such an expedition which negates the Anioma spirit of ‘’being a brother’s keeper at all times.’”
