PRESS RELEASE
24 June, 2021
FORUM OF DELTA STATE NGOs ATTEST TO GOV. OKOWA’S DEVELOPMENTAL STRIDES IN CHALLENGING TIMES
The Forum of Delta State NGOs want to acknowledge that Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa has shown credible leadership and has built on the good foundation by his predecessors, including addressing faulty developmental projects across the State, especially at these difficult times.
We can boldly hold a public conversation and show visible evidence to anyone in, or outside Delta State who is interested in seeing the projects and programmes of the present administration from 2015 till date.
Consequently, we call on politicians not to heat up the polity because of their selfish interest centered on their political ambitions for 2023.
The Forum of Delta State NGOs is one of the few who have critically tasked and followed up on the projects and programmes of the Okowa administration. And it is worthy of note that the Government till date never restrained us from monitoring and evaluating its projects. In fact, Governor Okowa had insisted that he and his team can not do it alone and has encouraged us to provide objective feedback to the administration for needed intervention whenever necessary.
We must also not forget that this administration came at a time when the country experienced its worst economic woes with the fall in the price of oil, coupled with Covid-19 pandemic.
Despite the challenges we observe some star projects by the Okowa administration that is worthy of mention. They include: the Asaba and Warri Storm Drainage projects,New State Secretariat and the massive road construction schemes in all parts of the state; especially the ongoing work on the abandoned Asaba-Ughelli Expressway. Including other road intervention projects connecting land and riverine communities.
The Forum of Delta State NGOs also note with interest the completion of the abandoned Stadium in Asaba, now known as the Stephen Keshi Stadium and the reconstruction of the downgraded Asaba International Airport that has now been concessioned by the state government .
The developmental strides by this administration also entail the numerous empowerment schemes for youth in the state, such as the Skills Training and Entrepreneurship Program, STEP and the Youth Agriculture Entrapreneurs Program YAGEP, including other initiatives and projects aim at empowering the youths to become self employed.
Others are; the Delta State Contributory Health Insurance Scheme for Deltans and the Micro-credit scheme for the unemployed.
We are also delighted with the various interventions in the education system from the tietiary, technical, secondary and primary school levels across the state.
There is also erosion interventioin measures in areas devastated by the menace through the work of the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project, NEWMAP which is a World Bank and Delta State Government collaboration. The project has brought respite to people in Owanta, Obomkpa and Nkwu- Nzu, with Ubulu-Uku erosion and Jesse flood sites to receive the same attention.
We also identify specifically the prudent management of scarce state financial resources and the closing of looting gaps like identification and elimination of ghost workers, fictitious contracts and land speculations. This also include blockage of internal and external revenue racketeering in the system. Thus many who have feasted on our commonwealth in the past are having challenges with the Okowa administration, as it is no more business as usual.
The Forum of Delta State NGOs reflect on to the huge debt profile that was handed over to the Governor on assumption of office. But for the fact that the Governor is a good manager of resources, Delta State would have been in dire financial quarmire. So we commend the Governor and his economic team for the prudent management of scarce economic resources.
We attest to these developmental strides by the administration and task the government to do more and finish strong. We are confident that Delta State will never be left again in the hands of selfish and greedy politicians. The people will choose a leader in 2023 that will deepen and sustain the legacies of the present administration and the Forum of Delta State NGOs will not relent in partnering with credible persons who have good plans for the sustainable development of the state.
The forum and her partners both local and international will expose and also advocate against those who want to loot our treasury and take us back to the woods as good governance is non- negotiable. Enough is Enough!
SIGNED:
OKEZI ODUGALA
Coordinator, Forum of Delta State NGOs