On-governor-okowas-recently-signed-bills-to-create-warri-uvwie-and-environs-development-agency-another-needless-agency-to-misappropriate-mismanage-public-funds-meant-for-infrastructural-development
September 7, 2020 | News
ON GOVERNOR OKOWA’S RECENTLY SIGNED BILLS TO CREATE WARRI/UVWIE AND ENVIRONS DEVELOPMENT AGENCY – ANOTHER NEEDLESS AGENCY TO MISAPPROPRIATE/MISMANAGE PUBLIC FUNDS MEANT FOR INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT
Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa
We were greatly appalled with the recent news that the Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, has signed into law, the creation of a Warri/Uvwie and Environs Development Agency, which according to him, is premised on the need to pay special attention to the development of Warri, Uvwie and environs. But the question is, does the Delta State Government need to establish a special agency before Warri/Uvwie and environs can be developed? What we desperately need in Warri and environs, and across all Delta State, is holistic development, and not the creation of agencies that would serve as avenues for wasting/mismanaging public funds. What is the essence of passing and signing bills into law that will not be implemented at the end of the day? But will only serve the interests of some selected politicians/supporters of the PDP-led Delta State Government?
By appointing few politicians in the said agency, whom of course will sit in their offices doing practically nothing but to appropriate salaries, allowances and other fringe benefits of their offices, including driving official cars. Has the Delta State Governor made any difference or impact in the development of the State? The money to be used for the salaries, bonuses and upkeep supposed operations of these people are enough to establish/build basic infrastructural needs in Warri and environs and in the State. No State can develop in the absence of basic infrastructure.
At the moment, Warri and Uvwie (Effurun) have no visible functional standard airport. The oil city of Warri is today without a functional Standard Airport, all thanks to the bad governance of PDP-led Government in Delta State. The insecurity and kidnapping situation in Delta State have spread everywhere and has become worse. The poverty and economic hardship situation have spread everywhere in the Delta State, especially as oil and gas multinationals and other companies/investors have left Delta State, due to the gross negligence by the PDP-led Delta State Government in addressing these pressing issues in the State in the last 19 years or so.
Now again, Governor Okowa and his Delta State lawmakers are coming out with more bills, which are nothing but political stunts intended to entertain and impress majority of the ignorant public. There is no purpose-driven government which wants to leave a lasting legacy that will outlive them and greatly impact on its people, that will not focus on ensuring security and basic infrastructure for its economy to grow. Even the United States of America (USA), as highly developed as they are, is still investing heavily in these areas to sustain their economic growth and continue to be an attraction to foreigners and investors across the world.
Governor Okowa is a regular visitor to some of these developed countries. Why can’t he strive to replicate some of the outstanding developmental efforts in these countries, back home in Delta State? Why is Governor Okowa, and other Nigerian politicians trooping to Dubai for holidays, marriage ceremonies, and medical checks? It is simply because these Government officials are using their State funds to provide basic infrastructure and a secured environment for themselves, and for their States to become attractions for tourists and investors.
The saddest part is that, some ignorant people are already hailing Governor Okowa for the said signed bills that will not be implemented with sincerity of purpose. But is only intended to give frivolous political appointments to their supporters, whose trade and stock is to misappropriate and mismanage the State’s public funds. Like the past and present administrations have done, and with this newly created Warri/Uvwie and Environs Development Agency, all that it seems the Delta State Governor considers as priority to him, is to create needless portfolios and positions for people in government circles through one Agency or Office or the other. All of which are obvious drain to the State's purse. Some call it “jobs for the boys”, that is, those who have placed Governor Okowa in Government House deserve to have their interests present in the administration they helped to create through alleged rigging. That is how best to explain the above actions of the Okowa Government.
We already have all the relevant State Government Departments/Ministries and Agencies in place, and all they need to do is to make them more functional to embark on genuine projects and programmes that will enhance development across all levels of Delta State. How can a city like Warri not have a standard and a functional Airport, and Governor Okowa and his PDP-led Government think and believe that the State can sustainably be developed? Governor Okowa should tell me which developed city in this world that does not have a standard and a functional Airport, in or near it? Who is Governor Okowa and his Delta State lawmakers that are directed/controlled by Okowa, trying to deceive with this their latest political stunt?
Regardless of anything, if we most move ahead as Deltans, then this culture of widespread celebration of mediocrity, supporting or singing praise of a dysfunctional government with ‘misplaced priorities’ (no matter how long it has been with us), have to be uprooted and done away with; both from the political leaders and the followers. No matter how hard or daunting this task may seem, we believe there is no problem that has no solution. But we must first acknowledge the fact that we do have a ‘big problem as Deltans’ in our hands, and then we can take the necessary steps in addressing them. Until we begin to tell our political leaders and ourselves the ‘truth’ as Deltans, mediocrity and underdevelopment would continue to be enthroned as lord over all of us in Delta State.
Zik Gbemre.
We Mobilize Others to Fight for Individual Causes as if Those Were Our Causes
Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa
We were greatly appalled with the recent news that the Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, has signed into law, the creation of a Warri/Uvwie and Environs Development Agency, which according to him, is premised on the need to pay special attention to the development of Warri, Uvwie and environs. But the question is, does the Delta State Government need to establish a special agency before Warri/Uvwie and environs can be developed? What we desperately need in Warri and environs, and across all Delta State, is holistic development, and not the creation of agencies that would serve as avenues for wasting/mismanaging public funds. What is the essence of passing and signing bills into law that will not be implemented at the end of the day? But will only serve the interests of some selected politicians/supporters of the PDP-led Delta State Government?
By appointing few politicians in the said agency, whom of course will sit in their offices doing practically nothing but to appropriate salaries, allowances and other fringe benefits of their offices, including driving official cars. Has the Delta State Governor made any difference or impact in the development of the State? The money to be used for the salaries, bonuses and upkeep supposed operations of these people are enough to establish/build basic infrastructural needs in Warri and environs and in the State. No State can develop in the absence of basic infrastructure.
At the moment, Warri and Uvwie (Effurun) have no visible functional standard airport. The oil city of Warri is today without a functional Standard Airport, all thanks to the bad governance of PDP-led Government in Delta State. The insecurity and kidnapping situation in Delta State have spread everywhere and has become worse. The poverty and economic hardship situation have spread everywhere in the Delta State, especially as oil and gas multinationals and other companies/investors have left Delta State, due to the gross negligence by the PDP-led Delta State Government in addressing these pressing issues in the State in the last 19 years or so.
Now again, Governor Okowa and his Delta State lawmakers are coming out with more bills, which are nothing but political stunts intended to entertain and impress majority of the ignorant public. There is no purpose-driven government which wants to leave a lasting legacy that will outlive them and greatly impact on its people, that will not focus on ensuring security and basic infrastructure for its economy to grow. Even the United States of America (USA), as highly developed as they are, is still investing heavily in these areas to sustain their economic growth and continue to be an attraction to foreigners and investors across the world.
Governor Okowa is a regular visitor to some of these developed countries. Why can’t he strive to replicate some of the outstanding developmental efforts in these countries, back home in Delta State? Why is Governor Okowa, and other Nigerian politicians trooping to Dubai for holidays, marriage ceremonies, and medical checks? It is simply because these Government officials are using their State funds to provide basic infrastructure and a secured environment for themselves, and for their States to become attractions for tourists and investors.
The saddest part is that, some ignorant people are already hailing Governor Okowa for the said signed bills that will not be implemented with sincerity of purpose. But is only intended to give frivolous political appointments to their supporters, whose trade and stock is to misappropriate and mismanage the State’s public funds. Like the past and present administrations have done, and with this newly created Warri/Uvwie and Environs Development Agency, all that it seems the Delta State Governor considers as priority to him, is to create needless portfolios and positions for people in government circles through one Agency or Office or the other. All of which are obvious drain to the State's purse. Some call it “jobs for the boys”, that is, those who have placed Governor Okowa in Government House deserve to have their interests present in the administration they helped to create through alleged rigging. That is how best to explain the above actions of the Okowa Government.
We already have all the relevant State Government Departments/Ministries and Agencies in place, and all they need to do is to make them more functional to embark on genuine projects and programmes that will enhance development across all levels of Delta State. How can a city like Warri not have a standard and a functional Airport, and Governor Okowa and his PDP-led Government think and believe that the State can sustainably be developed? Governor Okowa should tell me which developed city in this world that does not have a standard and a functional Airport, in or near it? Who is Governor Okowa and his Delta State lawmakers that are directed/controlled by Okowa, trying to deceive with this their latest political stunt?
Regardless of anything, if we most move ahead as Deltans, then this culture of widespread celebration of mediocrity, supporting or singing praise of a dysfunctional government with ‘misplaced priorities’ (no matter how long it has been with us), have to be uprooted and done away with; both from the political leaders and the followers. No matter how hard or daunting this task may seem, we believe there is no problem that has no solution. But we must first acknowledge the fact that we do have a ‘big problem as Deltans’ in our hands, and then we can take the necessary steps in addressing them. Until we begin to tell our political leaders and ourselves the ‘truth’ as Deltans, mediocrity and underdevelopment would continue to be enthroned as lord over all of us in Delta State.
Zik Gbemre.
We Mobilize Others to Fight for Individual Causes as if Those Were Our Causes