TEF targets health, youth, drugs in Delta community as end of 2025 activities

The Texas Elites Forum (TEF), Orerokpe, Delta State, has concluded its 2025 end-of-year activities with a multi-sector humanitarian intervention that stakeholders say underscores both the depth of community needs and the growing role of civic groups in bridging social gaps.

The four-day programme, held from Saturday, December 27 to Tuesday, December 30, 2025, featured a two-day free medical outreach, youth sensitisation against drug abuse, and academic rewards for outstanding students—interventions that community leaders described as timely but insufficient without sustained government backing.

At the Orerokpe Primary Health Care Centre,  TEF in collaboration with the Grace Oghoghorie Foundation, treated more than 1,300 indigent and vulnerable residents received free medical services, including routine clinical examinations, drugs, and referrals.

 Health volunteers attending to patients said the turnout reflected longstanding access challenges in primary healthcare delivery across riverine and semi-urban communities.

Beneficiaries, including Pa George Nkeonye and Madam Cecelia Egbo, said the outreach provided relief many residents could not otherwise afford.

“This kind of help should not be seasonal,” one beneficiary noted, urging authorities to strengthen public health funding and staffing.

TEF President, Mr. Clement Afe, said the outreach was driven by a moral obligation to close gaps in access to care.

 He described the intervention as a humanitarian response rather than a substitute for government responsibility.

 “Communities should not wait endlessly for help. But charity must complement, not replace, functional public systems,” he said.

Echoing this concern, TEF Secretary, Mr. Tony Edemenaha, called for partnerships with development-focused individuals, corporate bodies, and public institutions to scale impact.

He stressed that while voluntary efforts help, sustainable change requires coordinated action and policy support.

Beyond healthcare, the Forum organised a Walk Against Drug Abuse (WADA) to address rising substance abuse among youths.

The sensitisation march drew participation from local government officials, security agencies, and community leaders, including the Executive Chairman of Okpe Local Government Council, Okakuro Isaiah Esiovwa; Hon. Dafe Emakpor of the Delta State House of Assembly; and Prince Godwin Ejinyere, Duke of Orerokpe District and Director-General of the Warri, Uvwie and Environs Development Agency.

Speakers at the event warned that drug abuse poses a direct threat to education, security, and productivity, urging enforcement agencies to intensify action against drug peddlers while expanding prevention and rehabilitation programmes.

Officers of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) also participated, reinforcing calls for inter-agency collaboration.

In the education sector, TEF rewarded 29 top-performing students from Orerokpe Secondary School and Baptist High School with cash prizes, school bags, and branded notebooks.

Organisers said the initiative was designed to counter the growing “school na scam” narrative among youths by reinforcing the value of academic excellence.

Speaking on behalf of the award recipients, Master Gordon Ebrubaoghene of Orerokpe Secondary School said the recognition would motivate students to remain focused despite economic pressures that push many young people toward quick but risky alternatives.

The programme concluded with a community reception hosted at the country home of Ejinyere.

 However, stakeholders noted that the real measure of success lies beyond celebrations—calling for continuity, monitoring of outcomes, and stronger public investment in health, education, and youth development.

Overall, the interventions reflected TEF’s stated commitment to “Returning Love To Our Heritage,” while also amplifying a broader message: philanthropy can spark change, but lasting impact depends on responsive governance and sustained community engagement.