When Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State assumed office on May 29, 2015, he outlined a five-point agenda encapsulated in the acronym SMART. These include strategic wealth creation projects and provision of jobs for all Deltans, meaningful peace building platforms aimed at political and social harmony and agricultural reforms and accelerated industrialization, relevant health and education policies and transformed environment through urban renewal aimed at driving an inclusive economic growth policy that works for all Deltans.
In order to hit the ground running and driving the initial process of governance and commitment to the people of Delta State, the governor forwarded four executive bills to the Delta State House of Assembly within his 100 Days in office for consideration and speedy legislative actions. These bills are the Delta State Capital Territory Development Agency Bill, 2015, Delta State Technical and Vocational Education Board Bill, 2015, Delta State DESOPADEC (Amendment) Bill, 2015 and Delta State Contributory Health Commission Bill, 2015.
Essentially, the state legislature under the watch of the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Monday Igbuya, has given bearings to the consideration of these people-oriented bills aimed at SMART agenda of prosperity for all Deltans. Of the four bills presented to the House, three have been passed and assented to by the governor and one, the Delta State Contributory Health Commission Bill, 2015 which is at the committee stage is awaiting further consideration of the House.
In essence, the consideration and passage of the Delta State Capital Territory Development Agency and the Governing Board Bill, 2015, is charged to formulate policies and guidelines for the development of the state capital territory; conceive, plan and implement, in accordance with set rules and regulations, projects and programmes for the sustainable development of the state capital territory. It is also charged to prepare master plans and schemes designed to promote the physical development of the state capital territory as well as tackle ecological and environmental problems.
Furthermore, the passage of the Delta State Technical and Vocational Education Board Bill, 2015, is apt and timely. Its policy is well conceived by the present administration. The objectives include stimulating and encouraging pre-vocation and general technical education in schools not as a basis for creating early technological awareness, but also to provide suitable orientation for further education and training in technology and provide direct practical skills for earning a living. It is also to inculcate in the people of Delta State the attitude of respect for, and appreciation of the role of technical and vocation education in society.
According to the policy, the intending Board to be established will manage technical and vocational colleges and centres across the state and will also implement all policies on technical and vocational education formulated by the State Ministry of Education and the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE). The board will also ensure that courses of instruction given in the technical colleges and vocational centres conform to the state policy on technical and vocational education and satisfy the prescribed requirements and standards of the National Board for Technical Education.
Subsequently, the amendment of the law of the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) was to make it more effective in delivering on its mandate to the people of Delta State. The financial situation of the country and the state has made it necessary for prudent and judicious utilization of resources which has made it imperative for the laws setting up the DESOPADEC to be amended to make it effective and productive. It was observed that the era where projects would be sited without adding value to the lives of the people is over. It is these backdrops that gave strength to the law by restructuring the Board and Management in line with the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) model through an amendment bill.
In addition, the state legislature has also given bearings to the policy thrust of the Okowa administration through the consideration of the Delta State Contributory Health Commission Bill, 2015, already at its committee stage. The main thrust of the executive bill are to regulate, supervise, implement and ensure effective administration of the Delta State Contributory health sector through the commission. It is also to ensure that every resident of Delta State has good access to health care services. Essentially, the bill is conceived to ensure that every resident of Delta State have good access to health care services; ensure that all residents of Delta State have financial protection, physical access to quality and affordable health care services and protect families from the financial hardship of huge medical services.
Accordingly, the essence of the proposed bill are to limit the rise in the cost of healthcare services; ensure equitable distribution of health care costs across different income groups; maintain high standard of health care delivery services within the scheme; ensure efficiency in health care services delivery; improve and harness private sector participation in the provision of health care services and ensure appropriate patronage at all levels of the health care delivery system.
The proposed bill is to ensure the availability of alternative sources of funding to the health sector for improved services and in cases where residents do not have available medical and other health services to take such measures as are necessary to plan, organize and develop medical and other health services commensurate with the needs of the residents. The bill is also designed to take care of the weak, aged and physically challenged and people in the rural areas that have been denied affordable healthcare.
Therefore, there is gain-saying the fact that the ‘SMART” agenda of the Okowa administration is entrusted with total commitment to the building and consolidation of a state in which there shall be more employment opportunities, a flourishing agriculture and agribusiness sector, effective health and education systems, renewed urban infrastructure and enhance security and peace to bolster economic growth and development of the state. The policy is aimed at sustaining and deepening the policy of less dependency on oil and lay a solid foundation for socio-economic growth and infrastructural development the state. This was why it was designed to create jobs, generate and sustain businesses, stabilize families and communities within a framework of equity, fairness and justice and also put great emphasis on enhancing the revenue generating capacity by ensuring that all eligible taxable adults and organizations are brought within the tax net and all leakages blocked without necessarily creating further hardship in the family economy. This is the sure way that will give Deltans the needed development.
Luckily, the harmonious working relationship that existed between the state legislature and the executive, specifically in relation to consideration and passage of people-oriented bills, has no doubt, complemented the policy thrust of the Okowa administration in the past 100 Days in office. This complementary role has given bearing to the composition of the members of the Third DESOPADEC Board, the appointment of a Director-General to head the Delta State Capital Territory Development Agency Board as well as the engagements of youths into its six entrepreneurship and empowerment scheme including the Skills Training and Entrepreneurship Programme (STEP), of which about 1,600 youths are already undergoing various skills and vocational trades at Soghai Delta – Amukpe.
Other programmes of the scheme, including the Youth Agricultural Entrepreneurs Programmes (YAGEP); Production and Processing Support Programme (PPSP); Tractorisation; Extension of Loans; and Development of Agro-industries are germane to the realization of the Okowa SMART Agenda aimed at taking prosperity to the door step of all Deltans. The objectives of these programmes are geared towards enhancing the living standard of the people and designed to take the youths off the streets by learning the various skill acquisitions and vocational trades to care for themselves and improve on the socio-economic development of the state.
Within the period, the Sixth Assembly, headed by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Monday Igbuya, screened and confirmed the appointments of 12 commissioner nominees as Commissioners and members of the State Executive Council (SEC), 14 nominees as Board members of the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) and a Director-General of the Delta State Capital Territory Development Agency as sent by His Excellency, the Governor of Delta State, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa in record time. The inauguration of these appointees has enabled the government hit the ground running within the first 100 Days in office in ensuring that it delivers on its policy thrust anchored on sustainable governance of the state.
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