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Tag: Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa

  • Delta assembly approves state govt.’s N3b loan

    Delta House of Assembly on Tuesday approved the request of Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa for N3 billion short-term loan facility for the financing of priority road projects in the state.

    The House at plenary presided over by the Speaker,  Chief Sheriff Oborevwori in Asaba, also approved Okowa’s request to guarantee a credit facility to be obtained by the Delta Line Transport Services Limited.

    The approval of the request, which was contained in a letter read by the speaker during the plenary, followed a resolution passed by the Assembly.

    According to Okowa, there is urgent need for the state government to support some of its road’s contractors in accessing financing to aid accelerated execution of critical projects before the onset of the rainy season.

    ” The request has become expedient considering the almost N3 billion drop in federation accounts receipt in January 2019 when compared to December 2018 which had hindered planned disbursement to the contractors.

    ”Most of the contractors are already on site and have generated payment certificate for works already executed which are yet to be defrayed,” he said.

    Okowa said that the funds were required to make progress in the relevant project execution, adding that the state executive council at its meeting of February 5, 2019 considered and approved that the state government should support certain contractors for the state’s critical priority projects.

    Okowa said: ”In obtaining the short-term loan facility amounting to N3 billion only from Zenith Bank with the state government bearing the cost associated with the facility  as requested by the contractors.”

    The Majority Leader, Mr Tim Owhefere thereafter moved separate motions for the House to receive the governor’s request for further consideration and approval.

    The motion, which was adopted through a voice vote by the Assembly, was seconded by Mr Emeka Nwaobi, representing Aniocha North constituency in the state House of Assembly.

    Also at plenary on Tuesday, the Assembly approved Gov. Okowa’s request to guarantee credit facility to be obtained by the Delta Line Transport Service Limited.

    The request was also contained in a letter read by the speaker during plenary.

    Okowa said that the loan was in a bid to revamp the ailing Delta transport service which had over the years relied on continuous assistance from the state government to meet salaries and other recurrent expenditure obligations as well as capital expenditure despite being a business that should generate revenue.

    He said that the State government sold 60 per cent equity of the Delta Line to God is Good Motors Transport Development Company by way of a public-private partnership arrangement with the state government retaining 40 per cent equity in the company.

    The governor said that sequel to the sale which involved defrayment of outstanding commitments including salaries arrears, the new management of Delta line submitted a five-year business plan, among other things.

    Okowa said that the business plan envisaged an immediate capital injection of N4. 9 billion for the procurement of 130 commuter buses as well as the renovation and establishment of 18 terminals with information technology infrastructure and furnishing across the country.

    The House approved the request following a motion moved by the Majority Leader, Mr Tim Owhefere and seconded by Mr Peter Onwusanya.(NAN)

  • Delta government assures corps members adequate welfare

    Delta Government on Monday assured the corp members that it placed high priority on their welfare and security.

    Governor  Ifeanyi Okowa made the assertion during the swearing-in of the Batch C Stream II corps members in Issele-Uku.

    Okowa, represented by the Commissioner for Higher Education, Mr Jude Sinebe, said that adequate security arrangements were on ground in the nooks and crannies of the state.

    He said that this was put in place to enable them go about their their lawful duties and that they should only recognise and respect the cultures and traditions of their host communities.

    Read Also: Delta local govt commences tetanus vaccination

    Okowa said that one of the national assignments they were expected to undertake was the 2019 general elections.

    He noted the NYSC over the years made a name for itself through its contribution to the successful conduct of elections in the country.

    He said joining in the scheme would afford them the opportunity to be part of the success stories recorded.

    Earlier, the state NYSC Cordinator, Mr Benjamin Omotade, said that 1,430 corps members comprising 780 females and 650 males were duly registered.

    Omotade reminded them that the task of building a united, prosperous and strong egalitarian society as they swore to uphold required commitment and hard work.

    He therefore, called on the corps members to roll-up their sleeves and get to work.

    He advised them to keep wholly to all the instructions and training that they would be given on camp.

    NAN

  • 2019: APC cannot take over Delta – Sen. Amori

    Sen. Ighoyota Amori, Political Adviser to National Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP ), has described All Progressives Congress’ ( APC ) target to take over power in Delta in 2019 as “unrealisable dream”.

    Amori told our correspondent in Abuja that APC had no structure in Delta to win any election, adding, however, that it was entitled to such ambition, “but it will remain a dream”.

    He said that there was no reason why people of Delta would vote out Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP ) for the APC, pointing out that PDP had continually delivered democracy dividends to people of the state.

    “This is a tactical time where people can say all sort of things and have a lot of false expectations. So, APC is entitled to its own dream, but how to actualise that dream is another matter.

    “I know that APC’s dream targeted at Delta is just impossible. PDP is well rooted in the state and it has been so since 1999.

    “The good work started by the former governor of the state, James Ibori, is being continued by the incumbent, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa.

    “So, I don’t see any reason why voters in Delta will abandon PDP that is so close them to a party yet to find its feet in the state, and even at the federal level.

    “The structure of APC in Delta is so weak and we are not even thinking about them as people who have the capacity to wrest power from PDP in the state.

    “So, it is a non-issue; it is a dream. You know you don’t have control over your dream, you just sleep and dream.

    “Taking over Delta is impossible. APC can never take over Delta from PDP,’’ he said.

    Amori described Gov. Okowa as a prudent manager, who was working well with limited resources available, to develop the state.

    “The governor is doing well and Deltans know that. We do not expect him to perform magic beyond the resources available to him, but one good thing about him is that he is a very prudent governor.

    “He has been able to manage the resources available to the state for the benefit of the people. There is nothing today in the state that is not working,’’ he said.

    Amori said that development projects in all sectors in the state were hallmark of Okowa’s administration, adding that the governor had completed many projects, including those he inherited from previous administration.

    The inherited projects which the governor has completed or are ongoing, according to him, include the massive drainage in Asaba, Stephen Keshi Stadium, Central Hospital, Asaba; Asaba Airport and dualisation of major roads across the state.

    “Hospitals are functioning in the state. You cannot hear of doctors or nurses in the state being on strike. The hospitals that were facing challenges before now are being revived.

    “The man recently went round the local government area for town hall meeting where he asked everybody if there is anything agitating their minds and the outcome has remained positive.’’

    Amori added the governor did not concentrate on projects in one senatorial district or section of the state, explaining that they were spread across the state, down to the communities.

    NAN

  • Gov. Okowa urges Nigerians to refrain from provocative utterances

    Gov. Okowa urges Nigerians to refrain from provocative utterances

    Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta on Sunday appealed to Nigerians to guide against provocative utterances that could lead to war, but continue to pray for the peace and unity of the country.

    Okowa made the call at a thanksgiving service to mark the second anniversary of the state’s sixth House of Assembly at the Living Faith Church in Asaba.

    Okowa said prayer was necessary to overcome the present challenges facing the nation.

    According to the governor, Nigeria today depends on God to continue to survive because in the last few days a lot of things have happened.

    “There is a threat by the words of men but I know that by God’s grace, Nigeria is one and God will continue to keep us together.

    “In this very trying time, Christians must be on their kneels to continue to pray for this nation; we do not want to see any more wars neither do we want to see things that will put us apart from one another.’’

    Okowa, therefore, advised Nigerians to reflect on the past in order to forge ahead.

    The governor urged the lawmakers to put God first in all their activities.

    “This is the only way you can impact on the lives of the people of the state even in this present time,’’ he said.

    He congratulated them for the successful completion of the second session of the sixth assembly.

    Okowa also called on parents to influence their children positively as they were leaders of tomorrow.

    “We must realise that it is time for us to think and reflect on the past, examine our homes and examine ourselves.’’

    Also, the Speaker, Chief Sheriff Oborevwori, who read Psalm 100:1-5, thanked God for a successful session.

    “It is good to give thanks to God in all things and we hope and pray for the best as we move into the third session.

    “I want to assure the people of the state that we are ever ready to deliver on the mandate of Deltans because that is what we are elected to do,’’ he added.

    Earlier in his sermon, Pastor Julius Oyinloye stressed the need for Christians to always give thanks to God, saying that thanksgiving was a command from the scripture.

  • Okowa advocates holistic approach to eradication of malaria, other diseases

    Okowa advocates holistic approach to eradication of malaria, other diseases

    Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta on Tuesday said only through a holistic approach could malaria and other tropical diseases could be eradicated in the country.

    The governor said this when he received a former military Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, and his South-South Advocacy Group on the control of Malaria and other Tropical Diseases (NTDs) in Asaba on Monday.

    Okowa, however, commended Gowon for his commitment to the Nigerian project, assuring that his administration would support the fight against tropical diseases.

    He also lauded the use of long lasting mosquito treated nets to check malaria but observed that a holistic approach to tackling the issue would bring greater relief to the citizens.

    “I support the campaign for the distribution of insecticide-treated mosquito nets but, we should try a holistic approach to controlling malaria scourge.

    “Until we do this, we will find that year in, year out, we will keep on distributing nets while we are not controlling malaria holistically.

    “We need to combine both the nets and other control measures in the fight against malaria.

    “This is possible because, until we start driving our nation in that direction, we may not get the desired result.

    “And in the long run, we will find that the money that we have put into the distribution of mosquito nets could have produced better results using a holistic approach,’’ he said.

    Earlier, Gen. Gowon said that the team was on advocacy visit for the eradication of malaria, river blindness, elephantiasis and other neglected tropical diseases.