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 who would bring development and prosperity to their door steps owing to the fact that the state is one among the few states in the country that is endowed with natural resources.
These natural resources which are a God given gift can only translate into employment, access to proper healthcare, provision of social infrastructure, access to quality road among others, only if it is properly harnessed and utilized 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 that such policies were politicized 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 prosperity for all Deltans mantra which has been targeted to cut across the 25 Local Government Areas of the state.
There is no gainsaying the fact that, within the short period that Governor Okowa has been in office, he has rehabilitated and flagged off the construction of several roads which includes; the Tankers Park Road, Christ Embassy Road, Asaba, Palace Road Owa-Oyibo, Dr Whyte Street/Upper Imudia Street, Asaba and Kefas road, Oleh.
Others are the dualization of Agbor Township Roads, dualization of Cable Point Road, Alisimie Ozanogogo Road, Ubeji/Jeddo Road and Jesus Saves Road.
Recently, the governor paid an inspection visit to some ongoing roads and the airport project in Asaba, Warri South and Okpe local government areas, to have a firsthand information of level of work done and the challenges that might deter the people of Delta from utilizing such projects within the shortest possible time.
Speaking at the inspection of the failed portions of the Benin-Warri Federal Dual Carriage Way, Okowa, directed the state’s Ministry of Works and Direct Labour Agency,( DLA) to come up with estimates to enable the Delta State Government intervene in effecting the reconstruction of the failed portions. He explained that “even though it was a federal road, the users are Deltans and it makes economic sense to fix it as the failed sections of the road affects the socio-economic lives of Deltans who live in the surrounding communities and ply the road”.
The governor who also inspected roads and the airport project in Asaba and environs, expressed satisfaction with the pace of the on-going expansion work at the Asaba International Airport and on most of the road construction projects visited and their commitment to complete the projects before the rain sets in.
Okowa also admonished Deltans to be environmental friendly and check illegal and indiscriminate dumping of refuse on drainages as they could cause flooding and erosion.
“Having inspected the various road projects today we can see that the contractors are on site and they are seriously committed to their job and I am very impressed at the pace in which the projects are being carried out” the governor said adding that “I believe that at the pace at which the projects are going they will be completed before the rains begin”.
At Okpanam Road where the drainage work was ongoing, Governor Okowa commended the pace of work and assured the people that the drains would be completed while flooding and the situation would be ameliorated.
“What we are trying to achieve in the Okpanam road is that by the end of April when the rain comes we are looking forward to a situation where there will be reduced flooding”, he emphasized.
Senator Okowa also inspected the 1.71 kilometers Dualisation of Nnebisi-Cable Road; 0.898km Usonia Road; 0.53km Ezenwa Road; 1.78 km Okolotu-Anonye-Madumezia Road and Internal Roads at the Federal Medical Centre, Asaba.
Addressing Market women at the Cable market, Asaba, Governor Okowa expressed happiness with the appreciation and support shown by the people in the market for the road dualisation project and assured them that the project would be completed before the end of April.
Speaking on his visit to the Asaba International Airport, the governor explained that the rehabilitation of the 3.4 kilometres runway was a major project meant to correct some faults and ensure its speedy upgrade by the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, (NCAA).
He disclosed that the project was in three phases with the first phase of one kilometer almost completed, while the airport would be closed during the work on the middle phase assuring that “we are on course despite the delays as it is not easy funding such projects but with good planning we have been able to commence work and meet the upgrade by FAAN”.
The governor had on his earlier visit to the airport months ago, told the people of the state that “we are planning to build the Cargo airport terminal that 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”, he said.
Aside this laudable move by the governor, which will no doubt bring prosperity to the door steps of Deltans, Governor Okowa has also created 6000 direct jobs 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.
With all these actions from Okowa in less than one year 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.
Collins Agwam can be reached via telephone 08039509281, agwamcollins@gmail.com
