Innocent Ojefia Blog

The Governor of Delta State, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa has said his administration spends about N1 billion monthly on pensions. The Governor made the disclosure at Ogwashi-Uku during a town hall meetings with the people of Aniocha South local government area of the State. The Governor who also, had a town hall meeting at Issele-Uku, Aniocha North local government area of the state, said his administration spends more than N300 million monthly to settle pensioners in the old pension scheme and also, spends more than that to pay pensions of retired civil servants who were on the contributory pension scheme.  While noting that the contributory pension scheme remains the best, the Governor emphasised, “when we came on board two years ago, we were told, government was owing pensioners over N30 billion, we have been paying and have injected a lot of money, so, at the end of every month, for the old pension scheme and the contributory pension scheme, we pay about N1 billion on pe...

The Governor of Delta State, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, on Wednesday continued his meet the people tour, with a visit to Aniocha South local government area. The Governor Okowa, while addressing the people of the area, who turned out in large number, enumerated his administration's achievements in the last two years, saying the state government has been able to curb unemployment   through the State's job creation and wealth initiative.  He disclosed that the state government have trained a lot of persons through the Skills and YAGEP programmes.  He noted that, "in terms of road development in Aniocha South, we have embarked on Construction of Ogwashi-uku/Ubulu-Unor Road, Reconstruction of Nsukwa-Ejeme Road. On Education: we have Construction Of a Block Of Three Classrooms At Idegwu Primary School Ubulu-Uku , Renovation of A block of Three Classrooms At Onihe Primary School , Ogwashi-uku, Renovation of Block Of Three Classrooms at Magbala primary School, Renovation of...

An American politician, Benjamin Franklin, once remarked: “Human felicity is produced not as much by great pieces of good fortune that seldom happen as by little advantages that occur every day.” One noteworthy reality is that politics is about the economy and economy is about the people. It is about prioritization and allocation of values. Put succinctly, politics is about the people.  One major factor that has influenced my support for Governor Ifeanyi Okowa is his discipline towards time lines. For once, contracts are awarded and completed within the given time. I have always lived in and out of the State until 1989 and I noticed that up till Chief Felix Ibru’s brief stint in office as Governor, no new roads were tarred, neither were old ones repaired. After Ibru, the military administrators posted to the State continued with the old pattern, they were not bothered about infrastructure. So, by the time Chief Ibori mounted the saddle, almost all the roads ...

The Delta State House of Assembly resumed plenary today with the Speaker Rt.Hon.Chief Sheriff Oborevwori presiding over plenary. The Speaker also read a correspondence from the State Chairman of the PDP affirming Hon. Tim Owhefere as majority leader. The House also lifted the suspension on the former speaker, Hon Monday Igbuya. The House constituted a select committee made up of the speaker, Deputy speaker and three other members.

The Governor of Delta State, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Okowa has urged communities to freely donate land to government for developmental projects. The Governor made the call at Ogwashi-Uku, Aniocha South local government area of Delta State during commissioning cum inspection of projects as part of activities lined up to mark his second year anniversary in office. According to the Governor, his administration will not request for land from communities unless there was urgent need for such, disclosing that the proposed Agro-Industrial Park for Ogwashi-Uku will boost the socio-economic life of the people of the area and the state in general. Speaking on the wild life park which government has acquired land for but, was yet to come on stream, the Governor said, the Commissioner for Lands and Survey and the Attorney-General of the state have been urged to look into the process of returning such land to the community. “When government requests for land from the community, the pe...

The crisis rocking the Delta State chapter of All Progressives Congress, APC,  has deepened following renewed leadership and personality rival ries. Kachukwu’s bid to provide acceptable leadership for the party in the state was at the weekend running into troubled waters after a faction of the party categorised a new set of leadership with former members of the Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP, taking the ascendancy. Kachukwu had last week invited some leading party members in the state, including some who recently defected to the party from the PDP, to a meeting where a leadership council to direct the affairs of the party was expected to be instituted. That effort was mainly on account of legal controversies that had dogged the state executive council of the party headed by Prophet Erue Jones. The Jones leadership was in April 2015, declared illegal by a Delta State High Court in Asaba upon a suit instituted by Chief Adolo Okotie-Eboh. However, to the chagrin of many p...

- The former governor of Delta state has been compensated for his unlawful detention by a court in United Kingdom - Ibori was awarded £1 as compensation for his detention in UK  - The former governor who ought to be released on December 20, 2016, but was held by the immigration service for two days The former governor of Delta state has been compensated for his unlawful detention by a court in United Kingdom. BBC reports that Ibori was awarded £1 as compensation for his detention in UK. It was gathered that the former governor who ought to be released on December 20, 2016, but was held by the immigration service for two days. The judge, Justice Cheema-Grubb, ruled that Ibori was unlawfully held for a day, 18 hours and 10 minutes after was supposed to be released. Although the former governor had demanded £4,000 as damages, the judge said: “There is no compensatory loss to Mr Ibori and I fix nominal damages at £1." The court said the decision by the i...

FINALS of Delta State Principals Cup took place on Saturday with Governor Ifeanyi Okowa saying all secondary schools in the state must have provisions for sporting facilities before they can be approved to function. According to Governor Okowa, the desire of his administration is for the State to constantly maintain its leading role in sporting activities and that would be achieved through grooming future champions from the primary school levels. Maste-Care International School, Asaba piped Idjerhe Grammar School, Idjerhe 2-1 to emerge winners in the tournament sponsored by Zenith Bank Plc and played at the 14,000 capacity stadium of the Delta State Polytechnic, Ozoro. Ogbe-Ijaw Grammer School, Ogbe-Ijaw took the third place in the tournament which all the local government areas of the state had schools participating in. President of Nigerian Football Federation (NFF), Mr Amaju Pinnic and Nigeria's professional footballers in the likes of Henry Nwosu, Victor Ikpeba, Victor...

The Governor of Delta State, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa has urged Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to involve the people of the area in project planning and execution. Speaking when Senator Victor Ndoma Egba, Chairman NDDC led management of the agency on a courtesy visit in Asaba, Governor Okowa said that the siting of impactful projects in the region can only be achieved based on the actual needs of the people of the area. "I want to welcome the spirit of partnership and we are ready to cooperate with you on the development of the Niger/Delta Area, the state and your Agency need this cooperation to help our people, we need to create room for the contribution of the people in project planning and execution. l agree with you that we need projects that will impact more on the life of the people. l want to call for proper monitoring of projects especially road projects and the need to strengthen and fund the department of quality delivery because it is important in the...

The former Governor of Delta State, Chief James Onanefe Ibori has appealed to the Urhobo people of Delta central senatorial district to continue to support the administration of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa till 2023, when it will be the turn of the Urhobo people to produce the state governor. Ibori, who made this known recently at Oghara, Ethiope West Local Government Area of Delta State, when members of the Urhobo Democratic Assembly (UDA) paid him a courtesy visit, stated that   the greatest enemy of the Urhobo people is disunity, advising them to remain united in order to judiciously use their majority advantage in future elections in the state. He said, “Delta Central and South have both enjoyed their eight years term each, and now that it is the turn of Delta North it is natural that we support them for eight years before it will get to our turn in 2023.” According to him, “if we support them now, they will also support us when it gets to our turn. And the only way we can ...

The UK warned against soldiers carrying out a coup in Nigeria - This followed a warning by the chief of army staff warning soldiers not to mix with politicians  - The UK government said it would not support an undemocratic change of government The UK government has warned against the planning or execution of a coup in Nigeria by soldiers as a way of changing government insisting it will not support such undemocratic process. There was concern that some soldiers were being approached by politicians on how to carry out a coup and this concern as strengthened by Lieutenant-General Tukur Buratai’s warning to soldiers not to mix with politicians. The army chief warned all officers and soldiers interested in politics to resign their commission or apply for voluntary discharge forthwith. “Any officer or soldier of Nigerian Army found to be hobnobbing with such elements or engaged in unprofessional conducts such as politicking would have himself or herself to blame.”...

The Governor of Delta State, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa has said the multi-billion-naira Independent Power Plant (IPP) project in Oghara will gulp much more money before it can come on stream. The Governor made this known at a town hall meeting with the people of Ethiope West and Sapele local government areas in Oghara and Sapele respectively. He noted that adequate power supply was required to boost the socio-economic life of the people. At Oghara the former Governor of the State, Chief James Ibori led cream of politicians to attend the meeting, Governor Okowa disclosed that with the economic realities of the country, it would be difficult for the State to solely sponsor the IPP project. "We have to study the project, if I tell you that it will be functional during my administration, I will be telling you lies, a lot have been done, but, we have done the calculation but, it is obvious that we cannot execute the project as a State for now, because the project will gulp ove...

It is most unfortunate that Sahara Reporters has turned itself into a cheap medium for blackmail, propaganda and mischievous reporting. The caption of its story: Sacked Delta speaker Igbuya leads thugs to chase Governor Okowa from project site in Sapele is not only shocking and misleading but also unnecessarily sensational. It is with utmost subterfuge, sinister and ominous motives that Sahara Reporters couched its story and the same goes for other trending stories online about the stoning incidents. They want to imply that the stoning arose from grouse against His Excellency, the Governor but that is totally false. For the records, at Sapele, the news that the new speaker will be present at the ceremonies infuriated some youths who described themselves as supporters of the impeached speaker. Every rational mind should expect that as a member representing Sapele constituency, some miscreants who were hitherto benefiting from the former speaker would one way or the other, e...

Speaking when he declared the festival closed, Governor Okowa asserted, “it is an open secret that the constant successes achieved by Delta State in national competitions is largely due to this grassroots support for sports.” He reiterated government’s determination to ensure that the State continues to play a leading role in the development of sports in the country, promising to make the Sports Festival a yearly event, and providing more avenues for youths to productively engage in sporting activities. At the closing ceremony, Warri North local government area clinched the first position with 39 gold medals to beat its closest rival, Oshimili South local government area which got 30 gold medals, while Ukwuani local government area got 29 gold medals. While commending the various local government areas who contributed to the promotion of sports at the grassroots, the Governor observed, ” sporting activities are vital areas where our young men and women can be meaningfu...

After flexing in Jos, winner of the Big Brother Naija reality show, Efe Ejeba has finally met with his state Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa.  The Governor of Delta State, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, has received Delta State-born Big Brother Naija winner, Efe Michael Ejeba and called on youths to remain focused in discovering their talents. While speaking at the occasion, Governor Okowa urged youths to focus on their dreams and find ways to improve themselves. “wherever our youths find themselves they should be focussed in achieving their goals, the youths have latent talents deposited in them they must find ways to develop them and apply them, if you have a calling, you must not allow that calling to die, you (Efe) despite your calling, you listened to your parents and went to school which gave you a good foundation.” “It was obvious that there was no controversy about your winning, you avoided the vices, and showed that you are focused; our youths should find a way to di...

The speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Monday Igbuya has been impeached over allegation of incompetence and high handedness. Hon Sherriff Oborevwori was consequently elected as the new speaker. Twenty-two out of the 29 members signed the impeachment notice. Reports say the new Speaker, Rt Hon Sherriff Oborevwori, who represents Okpe constituency  is a foundation member of the Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP in Delta State. The House at the plenary presided over by Deputy Speaker, Rt Hon Friday Osanebi, also sacked Hon Tim Owhofere as majority leader and elected Hon Johnson Erijo in his place.

As part of the second-year anniversary in office, His Excellency Dr. Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa has decided to hold town hall meetings across the State to present his two years score card to the people of Delta State The first leg, which took the Governor to Isoko North local government area was a major success, as the people trooped out in their numbers to welcome and listen to Senator Okowa. The Governor who was well received by the people wasted no time in listing his achievements within two years in the midst of acute economic recession. The Governor explained that the State is burdened with huge recurrent expenditure, which is almost outweighing resources for capital projects. In all, the administration has continued to work so hard to prudently manage the State resources to deliver substantial dividends of democracy.    Governor Okowa also used the opportunity of being in Isoko North to flag off the second phase of free eye test and surgery, a people focused healt...

A letter addressed to the 8th Senate by President Muhammadu Buhari has caused so much controversy due to the president's choice of language.  President Buhari's letter to the Senate to inform them of his medical trip to the UK was read on the floor of the Senate on Tuesday, May 9. However, there was observation from Senator Mao Ohuabunwa that the president did not properly transfer power to the vice president. In the letter sent to the Senate, the president referred to the Vice President Osinbanjo as 'coordinator' which according to many, did not necessarily mean that Osinbajo has the power to act the role of President while Buhari continues his medical leave in UK.