Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State has allayed the fear of the people of the state that there will be grazing reserve in the state.

Speaking at the weekend at the second session of the Seventh Synod of Ughelli Diocese of the Anglican Communion held at St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Ekete, Udu Local Government Area of the state, Okowa declared: “We are not supporting any grazing reserve.”

The Governor stated that legislators cannot pass a bill that is unacceptable to the people, disclosing that Deltans have made it clear that they were not in support of grazing reserve.

While disclosing that his administration has done a lot to ensure that clashes between herdsmen and Deltans are reduced to the barest minimum, he observed: “Possibly, there would have been much more killings if not for our consultations; we are also aware that most of the kidnappings in the state are being done by the Hausa/Fulanis in connivance with some of our people.

“There are special courts for the speedy trial of kidnappers and anyone who is caught assisting them is liable to life imprisonment," he continued while commending security agencies, especially, the Police for controlling crime in the state.”

Governor Okowa also urged the Church to relentlessly pray for the state and the nation, assuring that revenue to the state would increase within the next couple of months as Shell was working to fix the Forcados Trunk line, which will boost oil export from the state.

The Governor stated that increase in revenue generated will lead to the construction of more roads and the provision of infrastructure in different parts of the state.

Earlier in a sermon, Bishop Marcus Ibrahim of Yola Diocese of the Anglican Communion commended Governor Okowa for the effective management of resources in the state despite the recession affecting economic activities in the country.

The Bishop who spoke on the theme, ‘Watching and Praying: The Escape Route From the Dangers of Our Time’, decried greed in the Church and also, urged Christians to pray harder to check the activities of Boko Haram, kidnappers and armed robbers, reiterating, “the time that we are in, is evil time.”

•Photo shows Governor Okowa reading the first lesson during the 2017 Synod of the Anglican Communion at Ekete in Udu LGA.

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