With less than four weeks to the inauguration of the new administration in Delta State, KUNLE ODEREMI examines the kind of legacy Governor Ifeanyi Okowa is leaving behind after eight years in the saddle.
MAY 29, 2023 is fast-approaching, with the majority of state governors having a date with history. That day will provide a moment for them to individual determine if they can beat their chest and confidently say they came, saw and bequeathed worthy legacies to their states; that they succeeded in raising the bar of governance; made positive impacts on the lives of the majority of the people and ushered in a new dawn of prosperity and general development.
For the outgoing governor of Delta State, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, he came with a mantra called S.M.A.R.T agenda designed to raise the ante and achieve a paradigm shift in leadership. A well-thought blueprint, the acronym centres on human capital development, peace building, infrastructure, employment, economic growth, security of lives and property and other indices and variables that propel prosperity and wellness of the citizenry. And as the countdown to the change of guard in Government House, impact and smartness of the SMART agenda (Strategic wealth creation; Meaningful peace building; Agriculture and industrialisation; Relevant health and educational policies; Transformed environment through urban renewal) are evident across the nooks and crannies of the state.
However, close associates and friends of Governor Okowa say he does not believe in blowing his trumpet; instead, he thinks his work should speak for and constitute his real testimonial for posterity to judge his administration.
Dubbed as Road Master and the best performing governor in Infrastructure Development in Nigeria, in real terms, his landmark projects indeed speak for him, judging from the ambience that transcends the length and breadth of state right from the Asaba Airport, which his administration has turned into a world class through public-private partnership (PPP).
His government is credited with initiating multifaceted reforms that centre on public finance and accountability; public procurement; urban renewal; public-private partnership; security, law and order; job and wealth creation; sustainable Millennium Goals (SDGs); contributory health insurance; technical education; small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs); human capital development and entrepreneurship; signage and advertisement; agro-industrialisation; industrial/labour relations and staff welfare; trade and investments; and e-governance. The pragmatic steps taken by the governor and the resultant impacts in these key areas were brought to the fore during a recent visit by a media team to some landmark projects executed by the administration. The projects are not spread across the local government areas nay the three senatorial districts making up the state, but were also awarded to indigenous contractors to spur them into action, as well as empower the people at the grassroots who were engaged by the firms.
Today, part of the legacy project of governor Okowa include the Over Rail crossing at Agbor, Ovwor/Effurun-Otor bridge, Agbarho/Orherhe Bridge, Oha/Orerokpe Bridge, two pedestrian bridges in Asaba. To ensure fairness and equity, the governor also constructed Ayakoromo Bridge across Forcados River, five trans-Warri project bridges, Ogwashi-Uku Twin Bridges across Obo River, Orere Bridge, Obiaruku Bridge, Isheagu Bridge, Two Beneku Bridges, Ibusa Junction (Koka) Flyover along the Asaba/Benin Expressway in Asaba, Ovrode/Ofagbe Bridge and Ewulu/Isheagu Bridge. The footprint of Okowa also span road construction, as it has completed the Koka flyover and Interchange, Ovwor/Effurun-Otor Bridge in Ugheli South Local Government Area, Oha/Orerokpe/Oviore Bridge in Okpe council and the Agbarho/Orherhe Bridge. Of course, work is in progress on the Ewu to Orere Bridge and the 150 kilometre-long Asaba-Warri expressway that cuts across the senatorial districts.
The Chief Strategist to Governor Okowa, Dr Festus Okubor, shed light on the significance of the projects. According to him, the project, when completed, would afford the state the opportunity to benefit immensely from the Warri Port and boost water transportation from Delta to both Apapa and Tincan Island Ports in Lagos thus reducing pressure on roads.
On the import of the road and its potential for socio-economic enhancement of the state, Okubor said “This road is a major commercial necessity, because with it the Federal Government having done the Ughelli-Patani, Warri-Patani-Port Harcourt Road, we can then leverage to get the Port in Warri busy because most of the goods arriving Lagos anyway are headed for Onitsha. So, for us, it is ambush marketing for this road to be good enough to carry containers without fear of their falling over. That will be a major incentive for them to destine their goods for Warri Port.
With this road, you can go from Oghara to Benin to Warri on a dualised road like this, which is a federal road and then go from Warri to Ughelli on a road like this and then come from Ughelli to Asaba on a road like this; this gives us a near complete ring road around the state. Then, as you go you will see a lot of roads that are constructed, spurring out of this road to link up the villages and local governments of the state.”
At the Ewu to Orere Bridge site, the Project Manager, Frank Uwuseba, said it would bring much relief to the people who have had to go through untold hardship, hazards and faced serious security challenges. He explained that the people depended on the use of canoe to ferry their goods but that with the construction of the road, they would also have an alternative route, including to get to Bomadi and surrounding communities.
“Before now, the villages from either divides always use canoes to access neighbouring communities. Those with motorcycles are also ferried across, but as you can see, the owners of these cars parked here had to leave them behind. But, by the time the bridge is up for use, cars and their owners would enjoy easy passage,” Uwaseba said.
Speaking at Ovwor, the project manager added: “There are a number of communities that this bridge links and usually before now, if those people have to go to Ughelli, they either go through and get to Beta Glass and move to Ughelli, then to Ovwor to Ughelli. So, it is a bridge that enhances commercial activities of both Effurun-Otor and the environs and Ovwor.
Conscious of the importance of quality education in the quest for general development, Okowa embark on revolutionary changes that have begun to yield huge dividends. He converted the three colleges of education located in Agbor, Warri, and Mosogar to universities to boost human capital development and maximise the deployment of human resources. Realising that foundation was also significant in the life pupils and students, Okowa built Model Technical Colleges fully equipped with modern gadgets and technology such that the products of the schools could stand out among their peers within and outside the country.
One of such nine colleges is the Warri Model Technical College, Effurun. Three of model technical colleges located in Asaba, Obiaruku, and Effurun are in operation, while work is steadily in progress at the ones in Omadino, Irri, Akugbene, Oghareki, Kiagbodo and Orerokpe. An academic staff at the Model Technical College, Effurun, Nkwa, Prince Anthony underscored the positive impact of the college, such that a lot of parents have withdrawn their children from private schools to enroll them in the college.
Part of the vision and mission of Okowa is that the colleges is that they would complement the aim and objectives of the government founding of the Delta State University of Science and Technology, Ozoro.one an official corroborated this assertion: “These students coming out of the technical colleges have the option of either going to conventional universities or the Delta State University of Science and Technology where they can further equip themselves as innovators and entrepreneurs.”
Before now, some critics had consistently promoted a narrative that the Okowa administration had not done any significant thing since it came to office about eight years ago. It was also accused of marginalising some parts of the state. But the governor’s strategist, Mr Festus Okubor confirmed that the governor has not just been fair and just in running the state and managing its resources; it has also consciously given priority to even places where his most vocal critics in rival political parties come from.
For example, the government said it has succeeded in solving perennial flooding in Warri through a special drainage system. This is aside from other major projects that have either been completed or are ongoing across the senatorial districts without political consideration or affiliation.
READ ALSO FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
