Delta State Governor, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, has said the 2016 budget will be tight and realistic in implementation.
The governor gave the assurance yesterday in Asaba during a meeting with the Ovie of Udu Kingdom, Barr. Beltel Delekpe, Owhurhu I, his traditional Council of Chiefs, the political class and youths from Udu Kingdom.
According to the governor, based on the economic situation of the country, the 2016 would be very tight and realistic, assuring that it was designed to achieve a greater percentage of implementation and build the people’s trust in government.
“The budget is very tight and contrasted far beyond the budgets of previous years because we are trying to be realistic, so that we do not give false hope to our people and at the end of the day we are doing less than they expect,” Governor Okowa said, adding, “we want to do projections in such a manner that we are able to achieve some reasonable part of the budget so that people can learn to trust government when they give their word because, we do not want to deceive people, we want to be on the right course.”
He reiterated that there will be equitable distribution of projects, stating that nobody will smuggle any fictitious project into the budget as such would not be implemented.
Governor Okowa used the occasion to talk about the Delta Steel Company, the Olori Tourists Resort and some challenges facing the Udu people based on dispute concerning Enerhen, noting that while plans are on for the DSC to come on stream based on the numerous socio-economic benefits of having such, his administration was still looking at the modalities for setting up the Tourists Resort which he said has gulped more than N5 billion from the state government’s purse without commensurate contribution from private investors.
On the issue of Enerhen, the Governor said, “I think that the true option that leads to real peace is for people to come together, talk together and to agree on what is best and I think we will be opting for this solution because if one goes to court, the issue may be resolved but there will be no lasting peace; so, I assure you that we are going to look into it very critically and we are going to use our Advisory and Peace Building Council as a co-coordinating team to look into the situation because I believe that it is important to look into the issue and in any other place in the state that has similar issues so that we can truly find ways of creating lasting peace in our state,” Governor Okowa said.
“We must must learn to live peacefully, because, the more we continue to ensure that issues are raised over little things we can never achieve true peace and we end up destroying normal warm relationships that would have existed and we need to begin to look at peace building solutions because there is nothing that is impossible and there is no level of misunderstanding that cannot be resolved,” the Governor stated.
Earlier, the Otota of Udu Kingdom, Chief Sam Odibo who read the community’s address, thanked Governor Okowa’s administration for running an inclusive government and called on the Governor to address issues affecting the community.
Meanwhile, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has assured Deltans of the continuous implementation of his administration’s SMART agenda.
Governor Okowa said this yesterday when the President and members of the Niger State Youth Organization in Asaba presented a horse to him.
Senator Okowa, who was represented by the Secretary to State Government (SSG), Hon. Festus Agas, reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to the overall development of the state and the creation of an investment-friendly environment.
He thanked the organization for the Horse, which he described as a symbol of peace, strength and greatness, adding, that the implementation of the SMART agenda would bring prosperity to all Deltans.
While commending them for the recognition of the developmental strides in the state, Senator Okowa assured the organization of the sustained partnership with other states in the federation for the general development of the nation.
Earlier, Alhaji Abu Ndamisa, the President of the youth organization, had extolled Senator Okowa’s leadership and achievements in the state, adding that” the youths of Niger State deemed it necessary to honor you with a white horse as it symbolizes peace, greatness, visible achievements and authority”.
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