Aniagwu: Delta Empowerment Programme To Boost Purchasing Power, Local Economy
By PAULINA NZERUBE
Empowerment as Economic Cushion
THE Delta State Government is intensifying grassroots empowerment programmes as part of efforts to cushion the impact of prevailing economic policies and strengthen residents’ purchasing power.
Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads) and Public Information, Charles Aniagwu, disclosed this while appearing on TVC’s Politics Tonight.
He said the administration was seeking to ensure that improvements recorded at the macroeconomic level translated into tangible benefits for ordinary Deltans.
According to Aniagwu, economic policies introduced at the federal level had created pressures for households and businesses. Consequently, the state government decided to introduce interventions capable of putting resources directly into the hands of people at the grassroots.
He added that local government councils had been directed to participate in empowerment initiatives alongside programmes being implemented by the state government.
“Having been able to witness that level of stability, we felt that it was important for us to see how that stability can also cascade to the lower level, which is the micro level,” he said.
Purchasing Power at the Centre
Aniagwu explained that strengthening purchasing power remained central to the government’s response to economic hardship.
In his view, empowerment provides an immediate channel for moving resources into households while also helping small businesses sustain their activities.
The state government has previously said its ward-level empowerment initiative could reach at least 100,000 people across about 500 wards, with the programme designed to stimulate economic activity within local communities.
Beyond direct empowerment, however, the administration is also looking at public infrastructure as another way to circulate government spending through local economies.
Schools Become Part of the Economic Intervention
Aniagwu disclosed that the government was preparing for a major renovation of public schools across Delta.
However, he said the exact number of schools had not yet been determined because commissioners had been directed to assess and scope facilities across the state.
That assessment, he explained, would establish the level of deterioration and identify the schools requiring different forms of intervention.
“We cannot simply wake up and say we will renovate 50 schools when the assessment may show that 80 or 200 schools require attention,” he said.
Although renovation work is already taking place in some schools, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori has directed that the intervention be expanded.
The planned exercise, therefore, is expected to serve two purposes. First, it should improve learning conditions. Second, it could stimulate economic activity by creating opportunities for contractors, artisans, suppliers and traders.
Keeping Government Spending Within Communities
Aniagwu said contractors would source materials such as cement, sand, blocks and reinforcement rods locally wherever possible.
Similarly, communities where the projects are located would supply much of the required labour.
As a result, he argued, government expenditure would circulate within local economies instead of leaving the communities where projects are executed.
“If you are going to spend about N140 million to renovate a school in a particular community, there is a tendency that a significant portion of that money will end up in that community,” he said.
The approach reflects the administration’s broader argument that infrastructure spending can also function as an economic intervention.
Maintenance, Not an Indictment of Past Administrations
Aniagwu also cautioned against interpreting the school renovation programme as a criticism of previous administrations.
Rather, he said public infrastructure requires continuous maintenance because buildings and facilities naturally deteriorate over time.
Delta has more than 1,300 primary schools and more than 460 secondary schools, according to the commissioner. The state also operates several tertiary institutions.
With such a large infrastructure base, he argued, maintenance must remain a continuing government responsibility.
Exposure to rain, sunlight, wind and flooding, coupled with constant use, can damage roofs, ceilings, doors, windows, furniture and other facilities.
Assessment Will Determine Final Scope
Aniagwu compared school maintenance with road maintenance, noting that roads built several years ago also require rehabilitation because of traffic and weather-related pressures.
Consequently, the current intervention is being presented as part of an ongoing effort to preserve public assets and protect previous government investments.
The commissioner said the government would announce the number of schools to benefit and the specific scope of work after the assessment is completed.
For now, the administration is combining direct empowerment with infrastructure spending in an effort to move economic relief closer to households and communities.
