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Penultimate week, the Delta State government took some journalists round the state to see the scope of work on some strategic projects embarked upon by the outgoing governor, Senator Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa (Ekwueme).
According to the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Chief Patrick Ogoegbunam Ukah, the media tour was intended to x-ray the standing, motivation and impact of infrastructure projects embarked upon by the Senator Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa’s administration as it winds down.
Under his SMART Agenda, Governor Okowa was able to construct more than 1, 932.14 kilometres of roads alongside six bridges. The completed bridges include, the Over Rail crossing at Agbor, Ovwor/Effurun-Otor bridge, Agbarho/Orherhe Bridge, Oha/Orerokpe Bridge and the two gigantic pedestrian bridges in Asaba.
In its aggressive pursuit of infrastructure, the outgoing administration showcased 1, 035.95 kilometres of drains it constructed and rehabilitated. But, as the final whistle blows, signalling the end of the second half of his two terms in office, about 15 bridge projects that are still under construction form part of what the incoming administration of Sheriff Ovorevwori will shoulder.
The ongoing bridge projects spread across the three senatorial districts of the state are: 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.
Chief Ukah noted that most times when outgoing governors decide to show interest in a preferred successor, the consideration is more about seamless transfer of governance and continuity of impactful projects than hidden agenda to cover malfeasance.
He noted that the media tour was coming after the general elections out of an intentional purpose of accountability and public record. In its 2023 annual estimate, Delta State appropriated N111.4billion for infrastructure through the state Ministry of Works.
Some of the completed projects seen during the tour include 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.
It was perhaps out of a mixture of joy over the Oha/Orerokpe/Oviore Bridge and the election of their son as the next governor of Delta State that the Okpe Union in the United Kingdom penned an appreciation letter to Governor Okowa.
The Union assured the outgoing governor that their son, Hon. Sheriff Francis Orohwedor Oborevwori, would not disappoint him and the people of Delta State, assuring that they would join hands with the incoming administration to deliver on the contents of the SMART Agenda.
The union maintained that as the Ukodo of Okpe Kingdom, Oborevwori, who is the current speaker of Delta State House of Assembly, would sustain the tempo of impactful leadership and people-oriented project delivery in the state.
Those who signed the appreciation letter were: Okakuro Godwin Ogholo, (President); Mrs. Shirley Okechukwu, (Vice President); Mr. John Ewhubare Siakpere (JP), (Publicity Secretary); Mr. Eghele Sylvester Atughwe, (Secretary General); Mrs. Florence Avwunu, (Treasurer); Dr. Richard Stephens, (Assistant Secretary General) and Okakuro Peter Enye – the Togbaturi of Okpe Kingdom.
While endorsing the transition of Okowa’s SMART Agenda to Oborevwori’s MORE agenda, the Okpe Union said the Okpe Kingdom would join hands with the Governor-elect to reciprocate “the support you gave to Okpe’s quest for governorship of our dear state.”
Part of the letter read: “For us in Okpe Kingdom of Delta State, the emergence of our Son and Brother, Rt Hon Sheriff Francis Orohwedor Oborevwori as Delta State Governor in the March 18th , 2023, all we can see and talk about is God’s Glory, and we give God and your esteemed self all the glory. It is heartwarming to note the faith, confidence and hope you reposed in our kinsman as your worthy successor.
“Okpe Union, United Kingdom wishes to state in the strongest possible terms that our kinsman will not let you and Deltans down. He will reciprocate this gesture by making huge sacrifices and work harder to consolidate on the gains already recorded under the SMART AGENDA of your administration by his faithful implementation of his MORE AGENDA.”
The buy-in of the incoming administration must be a huge relief to the outgoing Okowa administration due to the volume of ambitious projects it embarked upon. Two of such gigantic projects are the Ewu to Orere Bridge and the 150 kilometres Asaba-Warri expressway, which is designed to connect all the three Senatorial Districts.
According to the Chief Strategist to Governor Okowa, Dr. Festus Okubor, the spectacular long road is intended to ensure that Delta State reaps from the anticipated uplift of the Warri Port as well as avert similar bottlenecks associated with the traffic congestion around Apapa and Tincan Island Ports in Lagos.
Okubor disclosed that owing to the priority accorded to the road by Governor Okowa, contract for its construction was subdivided among three contractors, stressing that section A had attained 95 per cent completion and awaiting completion at the end of this month.
“And for Sector B, a lot of work has been done. Sector C will be completed by the next administration as it is, but I would like for you to see what efforts the state has made in interconnectivity of the various communities of the states,” Dr. Okubor stated.
On the import of the road and its potential for socio-economic enhancement of the state, he stated: “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. And then, of course, all the OPCs, all the police on the road and all the bribes and all of that.
“So, with this road, you can then go from Oghara-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, Engineer Frank Uwuseba, declared that apart from its potential to improve the living condition of the people suffered from access road over the years, the bridge would help in the security of the entire axis.
He disclosed that villages usually cross the river with canoes, remarking that when completed, the people have a virile alternative to get to Bomadi and surrounding communities.
Giving a tentative completion date of December 2023, Uwuseba said the Bridge has been in the works for about two years, pointing out that the facility connects not less than 14 riverine communities from the Orere flank.
Reputed as one of the major infrastructure projects by the Okowa administration in Ughelli South Local Government Area, Uwuseba disclosed that already, the 200 longitudinal beams that would bear the weight of the 500 meters-long Bridge are on the ground awaiting mounting.
He told the journalists: “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.”
Also at Ovwor, the project manager said: “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 go to Ughelli then from there to Ovwor going to Ughelli.
“So, it is a bridge that enhances commercial activities of both Effurun-Otor and the environs and Ovwor. The construction, which was done by Obakpor Engineering, lasted less than two years before it was completed and commission in 2018.”
Dr. Okunbor said those who contend that the Okowa administration did not deliver as many roads in Delta as were expected miss the point. He explained that after studying the terrains and topography of the state, the governor decided on the massive construction of storm drainages as a veritable antidote to road failures.
He noted that while state witnessed a lot of road construction during previous administrations, most of them were washed away, contending that it does not make sense to keep doing the same thing the same way and expect a different outcome.
“For this reason,” he went on, “the Okowa administration embarked upon multiple storm drainages, especially in the Warri axis of the state. You may not see all the drainages, because most are underground, but as you can see some are still under construction.”
Onset Of Benefits
BARELY 30 days to the end of the Okowa administration, the state has started reaping the benefits of the outgoing governor’s SMART agenda, particularly in the areas of infrastructure and ease of doing business.
The state government recently received the Delta State Special Economic Zone License from the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA), Abuja.
In his remarks while receiving the licence, Governor Okowa noted with glee Delta State’s readiness to partner investors in the exploitation and development of its vast oil and gas deposits.
Okowa said under his watch, the Bid Heart State put in place the enabling environment for businesses to thrive, stressing that the pervading peace and security in the state assures the sustenance of development.
While thanking the Federal Government for the special licence, the outgoing governor said the state government was poised to cooperate with NEPZA, corporate organizations and groups to achieve the set targets of the license.
According to Okowa, the presence of four seaports and two airports in Delta State, as well as critical infrastructure such as network of good roads is huge impetus for businesses to flourish.
Earlier, Minister of Investment, Commerce and industry, Chief Niyi Adebayo, who was represented by Mr. S. A. Jaja, assured that the Federal Government would support the development of the special economic zone in Delta.
Also, the Chairman, Steering Committee for Establishment of Delta Special Economic Zone, Mr Festus Agas, while tracing the background to the presentation, gave kudos to Governor Okowa for his foresight and commitment.
Agas, who is the Chief of Staff to Okowa, urged NEPZA to sustain the collaborate efforts that saw to the project through.
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