By Felix Igbekoyi

-January 17, 2018

Ifeanyi Okowa, Governor, Delta State (left) with Ade Ogidan, Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief, Independent, when Independent team paid the governor a visit over his award as Governor of the Year for Infrastructure, Job and Wealth Creation in Asaba on Tuesday.



Asaba – Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State on Tuesday said the 2017 Governor of the Year for Infrastructure, Job and Wealth Creation Award bestowed on him by Independent Newspapers Limited would motivate him to do more for the wellbeing of all residents and indeed indigenes of the state.

Receiving the letter of the award from Mr. Ade Ogidan, Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief, INDEPENDENT, Okowa said, “I am glad that our job creation efforts have been recognised because, with the inability of the civil service to engage all graduates and the unemployed, the best way is through job creation which leads to wealth creation.”

According to Okowa, “Though, on assumption of duty, we met some challenges, we set up an advocacy team led by the deputy governor and through collaborative efforts with the traditional rulers, the youths, security agencies and all Deltans, peace was restored.

“We are consolidating on that peace and developing infrastructure in the state.

“With this year’s budget, we are going to improve on what we are doing; our budget is streamlined and practical enough.”

He further disclosed that it was difficult to assess the level of infrastructure development of the state, because it is not a one-city state, but made up of many towns and cities, which are being developed simultaneously.

The governor pledged that the state government will put more efforts to sustain the present peace in the state through prudent management of resources, budget implementation, job creation and human capital development.

He promised to run a transparent government that would afford the people access to information on what is on ground unlike in other places where facts and figures were shielded from the people.

“My plan is to take development to every corner of the state. People come to Asaba and Warri mainly; but there are many oil producing areas in the state,” he said.

“Delta has a lot of cities and we have to keep on developing them without sentiment unlike in some states where there are few cities.

“We have to also grow the economy of these places, help to create activities for people to go to such places.”

The governor, who is being honoured for his giant strides in the area of job and wealth creation as well as infrastructure development across the 25 local government areas of the state, said he was humbled by the recognition, thanking the people of Delta State, who were able to endure the challenges resulting from low oil prices, among others.

Earlier, Ogidan had told the governor and members of the State Executive Council, who were present at the occasion, that his administration’s successes in the areas of infrastructural development, job and wealth creation attracted the attention of editors and management of INDEPENDENT.

He disclosed that follow up investigations were carried out and he was chosen for his exceptional delivery in the area of infrastructure, job and wealth creation in the year 2017.

According to him, Delta State is now seen as one of the few states in the federation that have a blueprint for development.

He observed that Asaba has taken a new look, likewise other towns, stressing that even former Governor James Ibori is proud of Governor Okowa for making the state a pacesetter.

It would be recalled that the state’s job and wealth creation programme has won recognition from the University of Ibadan Alumni Association as well as from the World Bank in recent times.

Come and take this award..