Innocent Ojefia Blog

Open Letter To The President Dear Mr. President, Last year, when you assumed office, the chant of  “Change,”  your campaign slogan, ushered you into the Presidential Villa.  Today, cries of  “hunger”  could be heard across the length and breadth of our vast country.   Nigerians hunger, not only for food, but also for good leadership, for peace, security, and justice.  This letter is to appeal to you to do something fast, and, if you are already doing something, to redouble your effort.  May it not be written on the pages of history that Nigerians died of starvation under your watch.   As President, you are the chief servant of the nation.  I, therefore, urge you to live up to the huge expectation of millions of Nigerians.  A stitch in time saves nine.  This is the second year of your administration.   You and your party promised to lead the masses to the Promised Land.   It is not an easy t...

Indeed, it was pomp and pageantry as Delta State celebrated the 25 th anniversary of its creation with cultural fiesta, a very educating summit, gala/award night and thanksgiving service, all hosted by Delta State government and sponsored by several NGOs.  Across the land some  skeptics  and cynics questioned the propriety for the celebration of the anniversary of the State creation in these hard economic times. But in the end the entire celebration, particularly, the Economic/Investment summit was quite eventful and educative, especially in pointing towards the direction the State is headed under Governor Ifeanyi Okowa.  The summit was geared towards the evaluation of the economic progress of the State since creation, expose economic potential and investment opportunities in the State, demonstrate the significant improvement on the ease of doing business, showcase existing and planned public-private partnership investments and sensitize and mobilize loc...

Erudite scholar, economist and former henchman of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, prof. Charles Soludo has ones again blamed the federal government for the current economic woes in the country saying it was self-inflicted. Prof. Soludo, while delivering a keynote address at the Delta State Economic & Investment Summit in Asaba, the state capital hin ted that the prevailing recesssion that has placed the nation's economy on a free fall was avoidable if the federal government had assembled a strong economic team and looked beyond Oil as source of revenue.  Prof. Soludo described the country as a nation at war with itself given the almost endless insecurity and agitation challenges that has continued unabated to hinder prospective investors from coming to invest in Nigeria. According to him, nowhere in the world can you have a competitive economy in an atmosphere of chaos. Terrorism, kidnapping, destruction of Oil facilities and other social vices can only retard a cou...

The Governor of Delta State, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa and his Sokoto State counterpart, Rt. Hon. Aminu Tambuwal have said dialogue rather than violent agitations would bring about speedy development of the country.  The two governors made the submission weekend in Asaba during the second day of the Delta State Economic and Investment Summit. According to the governors during the summit which was organised as part of activities to celebrate the silver jubilee of the state’s creation, the security challenges in the Niger Delta region in particular could not have degenerated to the situation where the country was losing huge revenue as a result of destruction of pipelines if the people involved had applied dialogue, noting that the region has great potentials for growth when the resources of the region is harnessed which can only be done in a peaceful environment. “I bring you felicitations from the Nigeria Governors Forum on your state’s silver jubilee celebration, Delta St...

The Governor Delta State, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa has sued for the cooperation of Nigerians with Nigerian Army to quell insurgency in the country.  Speaking when the Chief of Army Staff, General Tukur Yusuf Burutai paid him a courtesy visit in Asaba at the weekend, Governor Okowa said the action of the military in checking the activities of the insurgents at the North-East was remarkable, stating that there was the need for all Nigerians to live in peace and unity. According to the Governor, “there is the need for the civilian population and other security agencies to work with the Nigerian Army to succeed in their activities to secure the country, I want to reassure you of the support of the government and people of Delta State to work closely with you to secure our nation.” He described the sensitization of the people in the creeks of Delta State of the planned military exercise, codenamed, ‘Operation Crocodile Smile’ as an action which will reduce panic as a result of ...

Some aggrieved residents on Friday stoned Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello, as he emerged from a mosque where he observed Jumat prayer in Lokoja, the State capital.  It is not immediately clear why the residents carried out the attack against Mr. Bello, but witnesses said the incident occurred at the Lokoja Central Mosque in the old market area of the capital. A source who confirmed the development to this newspaper said the disgruntled persons also carried few placards while chanting anti-government slogans. The source also said Mr. Bello was pelted with rotten fruits and vegetables. The police dispersed the crowd with teargas soon afterwards, the source said. “The situation in this state is even worse than what the residents are doing. The situation is pathetic,” the source said. An official in the state said that was the second time in two weeks the governor would be so attacked as complaints mount about the depreciating living conditions in the state. “He rece...

Number One-Governor Ifeanyi Okowa leading Delta North Cultural troop to the Arena Above:  Delta Speaker, Rt. Hon.  Hon Monday Ovwigho Igbuya  led the Delta Central Cultural troop to the Delta Unity Cultural Parade  with Ikenike-Delta Central troop The Deputy-Governor, Barrister Otuaro and Brother Emma Ogidi leading the Delta South troop Above: Chairman Isoko South Local Government Council, Hon.  Itiako Constantine Ikpokpo  and Hon.  Karo Ilolo  led the Isoko South  Cultural troop Ughelli South cultural troop led Chairman Ughelli South Local Government Council, Hon. Paul Etaga, Majority Whip Delta State House of Assembly, Hon. Com. Barr.  Izeze Rume Reuben  and Senator Emmanuel Aguariavwodo. Ethiope East Cultural troop led by Director (Central Operations), DLA Engr. Blessing Enamuotor and SA Political  Olorogun Kent Akigho Okiemute  at the Delta Unity Cultural Parade Chairman Ndokwa East Local Governm...

HRH Emir Sanusi Lamido Sanusi has condemned the economic and administrative policies of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government. The former CBN governor said he will never stop telling the truth to those in power. Hear him:  "I'm a friend of this administration but if they decide to run Nigeria aground, I will become the opposition. “You are not good friends if you sit down with Government officials and don't tell them the truth. I will continue to say the truth. "Nigeria must drop the habit of borrowing to pay salaries and service recurrent expenditures. "There is nothing happening today that we didn't forecast years ago because all actions have consequences. "Industrialisation potentials of Northern Nigeria was documented by Ahmadu Bello in 1962, 54 years after, there's nothing to show. "We created billionaires from Oil subsidies in the past. We are making the same mistake with Forex Subsidies. "As an Emir, I ca...

NIGERIA’S Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo will on Friday, August 26, 2016 declare open the Delta State economic cum investment summit in Asaba as part of activities to mark 25 years of the State’s creation.  The State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Patrick Ukah, made the disclosure yesterday in a press briefing to signal the commencement of activities lined up to celebrate the event shortly after the state executive council meeting held in Asaba and presided over by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa. According to Mr. Ukah, “during the state executive council meeting, we were briefed about the activities marking the 25th anniversary of the state creation, which has as its major event, an economic and investment summit which will hold on Friday the 26th of August, 2016. “ “The economic and investment summit is purely private sector-driven and we have been able to realize good sums of money to sponsor the event as we will work with what we have,” Mr. Ukah said, disclosing that th...

Delta State was created on August 27, 1991 with its capital in Asaba. Since its creation, Delta State has been governed by an array of   leaders, some were military administrators and others, civilian   governors at different point in time, in the history of the State.   These men have contributed immensely one way or the other to the socio-economic and political development of the State. The first administrator was Captain Luke Chijiuba Ochulor who was the pioneer military administrator from August 1991 to January 1992. Then came late Olorogun, Senator Felix Ibru who was the first elected governor of the State. Compol Abdulkadir Shehu followed between January 1992 and November 1993, he served as acting administrator. Col. Bassey Asuquo served as administrator from December 1993 to September 1994, while Capt. Ibrahim kefas served as administrator between September 1994 and August 1996. Late Col. John Dung served between August 1996 and August 1998. Navy Capt. ...

The Delta State government has described as mischievous an online publication last week that the state governor, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, invited operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to arrest and prosecute some officers who served under the immediate past administration in the State.  The State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Patrick Ukah, in a statement in Asaba, the state capital, said t hat the publication is not only untrue and mischievous but meant to cause disaffection among peace loving Deltans. While confirming that officers of the anti-graft agency visited Asaba recently, Mr. Ukah revealed that they came based on petitions written against some persons in the State and not on the invitation of the State governor, adding that they visited the office of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) to get official documents that could aid them in the course of their investigations and also invited some government officials for clarif...

The Governor of Delta State, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa has expressed satisfaction with the number of investors indicating interests in doing business with the state, saying that Nigeria cannot meet its potentials without partnership between government and the private sector.  According to the Governor, South African investors were in the process of establishing a tertiary health facility in the state, while others have come to partner with the state in the area of agriculture and mining. The Governor dropped the hint on Monday when the Consul-General, Lagos office of South African Consulate, Mr Darkey Africa paid him a courtesy visit in Asaba. “Greater partnership between the private sector and government will help develop our nation,” he said, adding, “we are carrying out advocacy to private investors in other to develop our state; we are happy in the involvement of South Africans in our developmental programmes.” He reiterated, “some South Africans investors in...

When you move around Warri and Effurun most of the roads are deplorable, potholes and gutters on the centre of roads. But when you listen to discussions on the state of the roads, the blame is easily cast on the Governor. But the questions are: Is the Governor omnipresent and ubiquitous? Secondly, what is the role of the representatives of the people that is the legislators? The Governor of a State or the President of a country are not ubiquitous, as such may not get to know about the particular difficulty or challenge of all the communities in the State or country at one fell swoop. That is why, every democracy recognizes the importance and overriding role of representatives elected to represent the various State and Federal constituencies, which are made up of different communities. The essential duty of the representative is to articulate and aggregate the needs and challenges of the various communities in their constituency, and bring them to the attention of government....