GODWIN OJOSHIMITE
For many who are conversant with Delta State, they would agree with me that since 1999 when democracy was installed in Nigeria, the good people of Delta State have been yearning for a governor that would bring development and prosperity to their doorsteps, owing to the fact that the state is one among few states in the country that is endowed with natural resources.
These natural resources which are God given gift can only translate into employment, access to proper healthcare, provision of social infrastructure, access to quality roads, among others, only if it is properly harnessed and utilised by the government.
However, in as much as one would say that the series of successive regimes that the state have had in recent times, have strived to ensure that they meet up with these aspirations of the people of Delta, it is pertinent to state only that such policies were politicised, thereby making the yearnings of the people a mere hallucination.
As it often said, that no man is an island of his own and one needs to stand on the shoulders of his elders to see farther, Governor Ifeayin Okowa has noted the mistakes made by his predecessors in the execution of projects in the state, and decided to make right the wrongs.
This decision to make right the wrongs in the state could be deduced from his recent sponsoring and signing into law the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) amendment bill.
Speaking after signing the amendment bill into law, Governor Okowa said: “You have just witnessed the signing into law of the DESOPADEC amendment bill 2015 to the original law of 2006 establishing the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission.
This amendment bill was forwarded to the House of Assembly in the course of this administration a few weeks ago and we want to thank God that the House has completed the process of passing into law the amendment bill of 2015 to the original DESOPADEC law.
“There was a lot of interest when this bill was presented to the House of Assembly and as is customary of Deltans who are very bright and vibrant, a lot of people showed interest and they had the opportunity to contribute their quota towards a robust Commission.
I want to thank God that the Delta State House of Assembly took the bill to public hearing and Deltans made their contributions to enrich the bill, there was a lot of engagement and misconception that arose from the fact that some people did not even know what was in the original law and did not know what was contained in the amendment bill that was sent to the House. We thank God that at the end, the bill was in the best interest of Delta State and the oil producing communities in particular.”
He emphasised that “through this law, we are now establishing a Management team for the DESOPADEC which will meet with the expectations for which the commission was initially established.
Membership of the Board remains but now we have brought in a Management structure that can see us through to the future of the Commission that we all desire, a Commission that will be structured to impact positively on the lives of our people in terms of infrastructural development, social services and economic services.”
Aside this applauded move by the governor which will no doubt bring prosperity to the door steps of Deltans, Governor Okowa has also commenced the process of creating 6000 direct jobs in six months through the Youth Agricultural Entrepreneurs Programme (YAGEP);
Skills Training and Entrepreneurship Programme (STEP); Production and Processing Support Programme (PPSP); Tractorisation; Extension of Loans; and Development of Agro-industries which will lift thousands of Deltans from the shackles of poverty.
Also, the urge by the Okowa administration to deliver on its campaign promises to Delta people has prompted him to sponsor the Delta State Contributory Health Commission bill which when passed into law, will “significantly increase the demand for health services in the state.”
Amazing enough, in less than 100 days in office, Governor Okowa has assured the people of Delta that the Asaba International Airport that was shut down by Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) would be reopened in six months.
Okowa disclosed this in Asaba while performing the ground-breaking ceremony of the Asaba City Mall billed to cost about $40 million (about N10 billion) adding “We are planning to build the Cargo airport terminal which will definitely be of much interest to the companies that are developing the Asaba City Mall.
“This is because they can bring their goods and services to Asaba from other parts of the world with greater speed and ease,” he said.
According to him, the airport development in Asaba is something that will help businesses to grow.
This turn around maintenance and upgrading grading of the airport will not only boost business activities but also increase the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the state.
As a peace-loving governor, Dr. Okowa has resolved the industrial faceoff of local government workers in the state to ensure effective service and optimum production in the local government service system.
This peace move has also instigated Governor Okowa to as a matter of urgency constitute a peace committee to breach the gap between warring communities in the state.
The actions by Okowa is no doubt in recognition of the fact that no meaningful development can take place in the atmosphere of crises, rancour and hate, hence the need to pursue peace at all cost.
Giving his concern for the safety of his people, Governor Okowa has also commenced the construction of major roads in the state, to ease Deltans the stress of being trapped in traffic or engulfed in avoidable accidents that occur as a result of bad roads.
Governor Okowa has also embarked on the cleaning of drainages, to avoid the flood disaster that wreaked havoc on the state and some other states in 2012. This is a quick response measure to save the people of the state from untold hardship resulting from such events as a result of the warning from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), that Cameron is likely to open their dam.
With all these actions from Okowa in less than 100 days in office, one can only wish that all states of the federation have a governor like him, as he is the biblical Moses of Deltans.
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