Innocent Ojefia Blog

The Government of Delta State has launched its FAST TRACK 90 scheme to fast track the issuance of Certificate-Of-Occupancy [C-of-O] to property owners.  Governor Okowa at the event assured that the innovative policy would enhance the ease of doing business and property owners would now be able to obtain C of O within 90 days. The policy according to the Governor was meant to remove all the inherent bottlenecks associated with acquiring legal titles for landed property which were disincentives to investments, stressing that with the new policy, land owners can obtain C of O with digital electronic features within a maximum of ninety days. “One of the biggest disincentives to investors anywhere in the world is the high cost and delays associated with acquiring the legal titles to landed property, in Delta State, the process of obtaining Certificate of Occupancy [C of O] has over the years become very long, arduous, unwieldy, and opaque, often resulting in unofficial payments...

Ese Walter Ark, wife of Cool Fm OAP Benny Ark shot into public consciousness when, in 2013, she made public her alleged s*xual relationship with married COZA Pastor, Biodun Fatoyinbo. Before the confession, she penned a heartfelt public letter to Jesus, thanking Him for giving her the grace to forgive.  Part of the note read: “Today I say thank you. Thank you for staying with me like you said you would. Thank you for your Spirit that leads and guides me into all truth and continues to lead me even when I insist on holding on to a lie. Thank you for not allowing me die before my time. Thank you for the hope and assurance in my heart. Thank you for helping me develop a stronger sense of purpose.” After the media frenzy that followed the scandal, she moved on with her life and had her first child with her hubby January last year. It however came as a surprise when earlier this month she took to her Facebook page to denounce religion and everything that has to do with it....

The senator representing Delta North District on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Peter Nwaboshi, has expressed confidence that the PDP will take over the Senate Presidency from the All Progressives Congress (APC) if the current occupier of the position, Bukola Saraki (APC, Kwara central) is removed.  Following Saraki’s trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal for alleged false declaration of assets when he was governor of Kwara State between 2003 and 2011, there have been speculations that the PDP has been positioning to take over the number three seat of the country. Mr. Saraki emerged Senate President on June 9, 2015 largely due to the support he got from senators elected on the platform of PDP, to the chagrin of his party, the APC, which had a preferred candidate for the position in the person of Senator Ahmed Lawan (APC, Yobe North). At the moment, the red chamber is roughly divided between the APC and PDP with 58 and 44 senators respectively while...

  The failure of the PDP in the 2015 Presidential election arose more from the syndrome of a divided party. When the newPDP broke away, arrogance did not allow the hawks around the President to give objective advice on the dangerous implication of that move. The result was a devastating failure of the party in power. Today, we are witnessing an advance replay with the Republican party nomination process in the United States. The question is no longer whether the Republican party will be torn apart by the 2016 nominating process but how badly hurt its presidential nominee will be and whether defeat in November will be inevitable. The answer depends on the nominee and on the ultimate extent of the divide. But there is little reason for Republican optimism at this point, in spite of the fact that history has produced some very different outcomes. Sometimes, a deep split in one party has produced a landslide for the other. In 1964, when the GOP was bitterly divided over ideology...

The Governor of Delta State, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa has assured Deltans of his administration’s commitment to the provision of quality health care in the State.  The Governor was speaking yesterday (30-3-16) when he paid an unscheduled visit to the ongoing Asaba Central Hospital and the State Library Complex projects. He said that his administration was committed to completing priority projects which are beneficial to the people. Senator Okowa, who was conducted round the ongoing Asaba Central Hospital Project by Dr. Nicholas Azinge and top management staff of the State Ministry of Health assured that the project was of top priority to government because it would provide quality health care services to the state capital territory. Governor Okowa stressed that ‘’ Asaba is expanding daily and there is the need for a top notch hospital, if not for the federal medical centre there would have been a problem, we need to complete this hospital for the benefit of our peop...

Deltans should be patient with the Governor Okowa-led administration. Patience, support and tolerance are required from Deltans for the State government to achieve its policies and programmes. There is optimism that Delta State under Governor Okowa will witness tremendous development in all sectors by boosting the State’s socio-economic growth. It is clear that the Governor is doing well. He has the political will to make things better for Deltans. He is committed at fashioning out policies and programmes, social infrastructure and physical infrastructure that will impact directly on the lives of average persons. In spite of the continuously dwindling revenue from oil and gas to the country, Governor Okowa has managed the economy of the State creditably well. It is common knowledge that the Governor has been saddled with the responsibility of stabilizing the finances of the State while also making frantic efforts to provide basic infrastructure such as roads, rehabilitation of...

***Advocates grazing reserves for Fulani herdsmen. Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, has said he does not know the whereabou ts of the former leader of Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, a native of Kurutie, Gbaramatu Kingdom, in Warri South-West Local Government Area who security agents declared wanted last month. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and the Nigeria Police Force respectively declared Tompolo wanted between January and February over alleged fraud running into billions of naira. Governor Okowa, who spoke exclusively to Vanguard in his office in Asaba, the state capital, retorted: “How is it possible for me to know the whereabouts of Tompolo? I have not been in the creeks. I do not know where he is at the moment.” Vanguard had asked the governor to react to the speculation in some quarters that the state government was providing cover for the ex-militant leader for whose arrest a Federal High Court...

ONE of the issues discussed at the National Economic Council retreat was the reduction of the cost of governance. How are you applying that in Delta State? I think that when political aides are appointed, they are appointed to do specific jobs and people don’t understand that. I will give you an example. In my state, you have what they call the water ways and land security committee. People may just feel ‘oh it is just for the boys’. But it is not. If you don’t do that you will just find crises in every part of the state and all kinds of things are going on even in their presence. Beyond that they are able to have an influence on their peers to get away from committing crime otherwise most of the southern states where you have trouble you will find out that if you do not use some of them to be part of the process to achieve peace and gather intelligence, you will just be lost because within the creeks, all kinds of things go on and the government agencies themselves won’t be abl...

There are reports that President Buhari has started making plans to woo back Asiwaju Bola Tinubu after he had been abandoned since he got into power.  President  Muhammadu Buhari   has reportedly began making moves to woo the national leader of the All Progressive Congress,  Bola Ahmed Tinubu  in other to secure a second term ticket. According to a report by the Punch Newspaper, the president is aware of Tinubu's influence on the party as well as the sacrifices he made for him to become the president of the country. Read:  “We must produce what we eat” - Buhari It was further reported that Tinubu felt slighted by the President's omission of a former Commissioner for Finance in Lagos State, Wale Edun , and a former Commissioner for Budget and National Planning,  Yemi Cardoso  from his ministerial appointees.   The report also revealed that though the president isn't a man to be dictated to, he recognises and appreciates T...

The  Governor of  Delta State, Senator (Dr.) Ifeanyi Okowa has enjoined Deltans, particularly, Christians, to emulate the humility of Jesus Christ, who in spite of his heavenly endowments, took up the cross in utter obedience to God’s will.  In a goodwill message to the people of Delta State signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Ehiedu   Aniagwu Charles , Governor Okowa noted that the society would be a better place if adherents of Christianity imbibe the spirit of love and sacrifice; which is the bedrock of Christianity. “Easter is the reason why we are called Christians. But Christianity places a demand on all of us -a responsibility to look out for each other and be our brothers’ keepers”, he said. Governor Okowa noted that there is no where the demands of Christianity are required more than in Delta State with its unique multi-ethnic diversities. He said that the ability to blur our lines of differences is the hallmark of love which...

  – Security ahead of the Nigeria vs Egypt game in Kaduna looks good – Fans continue to lurk around the stadium hoping to get into the arena. Barely hours to the kick-off of the all-important 2017 African Cup of Nations qualifier between the Super Eagles of Nigeria and the Pharaohs of Egypt, there is a heavy presence of security men who have cordoned off the Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna, venue of the match.  Men of the Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) as well as Nigerian Army officers are taking no chances at all, ahead of the game which is billed to kick-off at 4pm today March 25. According to a Super Eagles supporter who pleaded anonymity, he has been around the Stadium since 9am, but could not get the ticket. “I have been here since 9am, but i can’t find ticket. The police won’t allow us get into the stadium. In fact, i was told the ticket was supposed to be free, but we cannot find it. Someone just told me he bought hi...

  As Nigeria’s fiscal situation continues to deteriorate and the gulf between the official and black market currency rates yawns wider, the finance ministry is trying to cut costs wherever it can. The latest target is government travel. There is a good reason for this focus. According to figures released by the ministry, travel was the single biggest government line item from 2012 to 2014 at N248billion ($1.25billion) for the three years combined (the ministry did not provide annual figures). This is equivalent to an extraordinary 18 per cent of total government spending.  The finance ministry reckons it can save N4billion a year from travel costs by negotiating discounted airfares with carriers, or just under five per cent of the approximately N85billion yearly average. “The Efficiency Unit has engaged in negotiation discussions with local and international airlines for discounts commensurate with the large number of ticket purchases made by government a...