We’ll deploy more resources to other sectors in 2022 — Okowa

Delta Governor, Sen. (Dr) Ifeanyi Okowa, on Friday said every sector of the state economy would receive attention within the limit of available resources in 2022.

Okowa made the disclosure while inaugurating Omene Road, Lawrence/Iju Road and Laboard Road all in Sapele as well as Hon. Onosa Road, Jesse and Sargin Erhivieta/Mission Road Jesse, in Sapele and Ethiope West Local Government Areas of the state.

Other projects executed by the state government which were also inaugurated by Governor Okowa included the Oghara Modern Market, Ogini Grammar School in Ogharaefe Ethiope West Local Government Area of the state.

Inaugurating the road projects Okowa stated that more attention would be paid to other sectors of the state economy by next year, adding that in doing that, the development of road infrastructure will not be ignored.

“I am glad that these three roads that we are commissioning today in Sapele have been executed to specification as the Commissioner for Works (Urban Roads and Highways) has spoken.

“We will continue to provide road infrastructure because we realised the importance of providing good roads for our people.

“We will also try to ensure that other aspects of our economy do not suffer because of road construction.

“It is our intention that next year, we will be spending more resources on other aspects of the state economy. Even as we do that, we are not going to ignore road construction.

“However, l have noted the request for more roads made by the Chairman of the Local Government Council, l will try to give consideration to it,” the governor said.

He told the Orodje of Okpe kingdom, HRM, Maj. Gen. Felix Mujakperuo (Rtd.) Orhue l, that the request for a faculty from the new universities in the state to be cited at Sapele Technical College would be scrutinised.

At Jesse, Governor Okowa said the infrastructural transformation in the road sector was aimed at linking rural and urban communities with motorable roads and bridges.

Speaking at Ogini Grammar School, Ogharaefe, the governor said he was impressed with the state-of-the-art facilities and said the school would be renamed as Ogini Model College, Ogharaefe.

He noted that out of the 12 model secondary school projects initiated by the former Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan administration, one was completed and inaugurated by him (Dr. Uduaghan) before he left office as governor.

Okowa pointed out that nine of the model schools inherited by his administration have been completed while the remaining two would be completed before the end of his tenure, and called on communities to protect government projects and facilities in their areas from vandals.

“Former Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan has a good intention for starting 12 of such model schools in Delta State. Unfortunately, he was only able to commission one of them before he left office as Governor.

“But because we are responsive, responsible and happy that he had a good thought in mind for the people of Delta to build such schools, we have been able to move ahead to complete nine of them so far and we are hoping that the other two that are left will be completed before the end of our tenure.

“So, our congratulations and thanks goes to Dr. Uduaghan for these projects that he started and just as we promised from the beginning, every good projects started by our predecessors both former Governors Uduaghan and James Ibori, we shall continue to strive to bring them to completion for the good and for the use of our people.

“Because of the facilities in the school, we are going to rename the school to Ogini Model College. I want to reassure you that we will continue to ensure that the facilities in this school are maintained.

“l hope that the principal and all other management and teaching staff in this school will ensure that the students are well taught so that we don’t just have beautiful buildings but we are able to grow students that we can be proud of.

“I do also hope and pray that we will continue to maintain discipline in our schools so that our children when they leave secondary school, they are guaranteed the fact that they will have access to the higher institutions that abound in the state,” he added.

The Commissioner for Secondary Education, Mrs. Rose Ezewu, said Ogini Grammar School (now Ogini Model College) established in 1965 has all the modern facilities that would promote effective teaching and learning and charged students of the school to maximise the facilities to excel in their academic pursuit.

Earlier in his remarks during the inauguration of the different roads in Sapele, the Commissioner for Works (Urban Roads and Highways), Engr. Noel Omodon, said the roads executed in the area were done in line with contractual agreement, just as he said that no road project will be abandoned in the life of the Senator Okowa-led administration.

Also speaking at Jesse, the Commissioner for Works in charge of Rural and Riverine Roads, Hon. Solomon Golley disclosed that the road projects in Jesse Town, Ethiope West Local Government Area of the state were to connect the town to other parts of the state.

At the Oghara Modern market, the commissioner for Trade and Investment, Mr. Churchill Amagada said the market would boost the economy of the people of the area.

Speaking at Sapele, the Orodje of Okpe kingdom, Maj. Gen. Felix Mujakperuo (Rtd.), Orhue l, who thanked Governor Okowa for the roads and other projects executed in his kingdom, appealed to him to consider moving one faculty from the three new universities to Sapele Technical College.

At Jesse, the Ovie of Idjerhe kingdom, HRM, Monday Ovie Whisky lauded the state governor for his giant strides in infrastructural and human capital development across the state and appealed for the tarring of the road leading to his palace.