Okowa Will Finish Strong In All Sectors -Ifeajika
THE Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Delta State, Mr. Olisa Ifeajika, has said that the Governor, Senator (Dr.) Ifeanyi Okowa will finish strong in all sectors of the state’s economy.
He said that though the governor has been outstanding in the provision of good roads and bridges across the state, he had also made great impact in other sectors, including job and wealth creation and youth development.
Ifeajika made this known while speaking on a Delta Broadcasting Service (DBS) Television programme, “Delta TV Guest” in Asaba on Tuesday night.
He said that having superlatively distinguished itself in the area of road construction, the Okowa administration would in the remaining part of the tenure, bring all the sectors to the same level of attention.
He explained that other sectors enjoyed same attention as roads, but that the sector stood because of its tangibility and critical role in any economy.
The governor’s spokesman noted that the magnificent new central secretariat named “Obi (Prof.) Chike Edozien Secretariat” after the Asagba of Asaba, the traditional rulers’ secretariat, the three new universities and the film village and leisure park were some of the projects signposting the governor’s even attention to all sectors.
“Anybody that has come to Delta for instance, must have heard of the new central secretariat in Asaba, which the governor in his humility and wisdom, has named after the Asagba of Asaba, Obi (Prof.) Chike Edozien, which by the grace of God, would be inaugurated by the Vice President of Nigeria on Monday, the 29 of November, 2021.
“The person it is named after, and the personality chosen to inaugurate it, shows that there is a lot of premium attached to that structure by the governor and his administration.
“It will interest you to know that the college or conference of heads of service led by the Head of Service of the Federation, while in Asaba for a conference last year, saw and acknowledged that the Secretariat is the best in Africa.
“Governors have come, journalists and other professionals and groups have also come and they have all acknowledged that it’s the best in Africa.
“We also have the traditional rulers council secretariat. It was out of pragmatism and wisdom that the governor built that. so, it’s not just building houses or accommodations for residential purposes but the government took time to do these ones that were clearly in deficit, and I am sure that in 2022, attention would be given more to residential genre of housing for Deltans,” the CPS said.
On youths and wealth creation, the spokesman said that the administration had since done quite a lot in the development of human capital through the office of Job and Wealth Creation, with such programmes as YAGEP, STEP and so on, noting that there were also other schemes for the youths under the Ministry of Youths Development, including the Rural Youth Skill Acquisition (RYSA) programme.
He disclosed that the latest of them all was the Girl Empowerment and Skills Training (GEST), which the governor in his wisdom and affection is using to capture and empower girls within the age bracket of 18 to 30 years.
“The programme started with the training of 450 girls last year, but because of the huge success it recorded, the governor again increased the number by 100 per cent in the 2021 edition. So, we have 900 of them who are undergoing training in the programme this year.
“The governor has also promised that by next year, the number of beneficiaries may be further increased by another 450.
“So, as we go ahead, the scheme is being expanded because the government, under Senator (Dr.) Ifeanyi Okowa attaches so much premium to the development of youths,” Ifeajika stated.
He added that not everyone would be employed into the public service due to limited openings, and disclosed that it was at that backdrop that the state government identified areas through which youths could be developed and gainfully employed.
“And, the good news is that the youths are happy, they are rushing to get engaged, and our governor is also happy about it, particularly as it has to do with the women folk.”
On defections from other political parties to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP ) in the state, Ifeajika affirmed that Delta was a PDP state, adding that succesive administrations in the state had all done so well that nobody could push them away and that whoever was joining the party in the state was doing the right thing.
He said that expectedly, as we go into 2022/23, there will be harvests of more defectors from other parties to the PDP in the state because PDP is synonymous with Delta State and it is the party to be, particularly when the party is already positioned to rescue Nigeria, and that train is ready, people are already moving in there because the rescue mission is one ordained by God and everybody will be happy.
