Every anniversary is a time for thanksgiving as well as time for deep and sober reflections. Since 1999, no consecutive two years have seen such level of turbulence and crisis in Nigeria’s economic and political life as the last two. Oil price collapsed, government revenues came under immense stress, exchange rate and inflation are at all-time high since 1999, unemployment has soared, insecurity and youth agitations intensified, workers and pensioners are owed by most state governments, poverty is escalating and the economy is in recession.
Governing a state in Nigeria where
you do not have control over much of these macro variables must be
extraordinarily challenging. For Governor Ifeanyi Okowa therefore, this midterm
anniversary must be time to thank God for His mercies--- for survival and
progress! Let the truth be told: in the context of Nigeria’s situation over the
last two years, and in comparison, with other States, or even in comparison
with the past in the first two years, Governor Okowa has without question done
very well. I will return to this later.
However, it must also be added that there is still a very long way to go, and I am sure Governor Okowa will be the first to acknowledge this. As a work-in-progress, Delta State is at a critical juncture, requiring fundamental economic restructuring en route to a modern entity. This moment offers a perfect opportunity for creative reconstruction and transition to a post-oil economy. However, Deltans must unite to exploit our God given potentials to build a new prosperity corridor.
Is Delta fit to prosper in the
evolving world? Wealth creation in the world will continue to be driven by
skills and technology. The State government’s flagship job creation programmes
– Skills Training and Entrepreneurship Programme STEP and Youth Agricultural
Entrepreneurship Programme YAGEP are successfully running their second circle
with harvest of various fruits of both programmes. The STEP and YAGEP training
and mentoring process aim beyond raising entrepreneurs, to producing leaders
and managers. Attention is also being paid to skills acquisition with the
renovation of existing technical colleges and adequate use of skills
acquisition centres.
Governor Okowa is here to repair and that is the honest
truth. The verifiable projects across the State amidst fund paucity is a true
reflection and attestation to this reality even though political jobbers and
oppositions, seeing and knowing the truth pretentiously criticize him to score
cheap political goals. We should be grateful to God for bringing in Okowa in
this period of economic doldrums to help navigate our economic ship to safer
ground.
Within two years, Governor Okowa has awarded contracts for
the construction and rehabilitation of over a hundred roads across the three
senatorial districts through the State Tenders Board. Most of the projects have
either been completed or nearing completion. In
his two years in office Governor Okowa has delivered more completed road projects
than others in recent time. It is not about the quantity of projects awarded
but the quantity of projects completed for the use of society.
Other sectors of the economy like health, transport,
environment, housing, public utilities were not left out. They have all
received more than a shot in the arm, especially with the governor’s best
practices in finance management and good governance.
There is no doubt that every
reasonable adult knows that things are not the way they used to be but irrational
opposition don’t seem to understand. Best advice and suggestions come from
people who emphasize with the situation on ground. We must mainstream citizens’
power. As citizens, we should learn to commend the government where it
performs, criticize where it errs, and contribute ideas if possible. That is
our civic duty without which our democracy and sustained transformation cannot
endure. Even those who will never see anything good in a government are also
welcome. This is a democracy and opinions are free.
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