By Anne Azuka
Delta State Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads and Public Information), Mr Charles Aniagwu on Monday said Governor Sheriff Oborevwori was not interested in fighting any political battles but would steadfastly continue to reply to critics with massive projects delivery ahead of 2027.
Aniagwu, who was recently directed to oversee the State Information Ministry, spoke specifically on the state of affairs in the state at a press briefing in Asaba, the state capital.
Flanked by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Sir Festus Ahon, and the Executive Assistant to the Governor on Public Enlightenment (Projects and Policies), Mr Olisa Ifeajika, the Commissioner said Governor Oborevwori was not interested in any political fight but was primed to responding to critics with the delivery of many more viable projects.
“We have seen a whole lot of publications in different places, including those that are insinuating that he is leaving the PDP.
“Oborevwori is a very proud member of the Peoples Democratic Party. Today, Oborevwori is a clear leader amongst leaders of the party in Nigeria, and he is not in any way hungry to abandon the Peoples Democratic Party.”
Aniagwu remarked that Governor Oborevwori had kept faith with the continuation and completion of inherited projects, while also initiating new ones.
“Having continued with the numerous projects he inherited, he is currently advancing the state with completion of ongoing roads, while also initiating more projects.
He listed some of the inherited, ongoing and completed projects to include the Okpanam-Ibusa bypass; Beneku bridge; Asaba /Ughelli dual carriageway, particularly sector C1 and C2, Sector A and with repairs in Sector B as well as the 6-story High Court Complex in Asaba.
On initiating new projects, Aniagwu, said the Warri and Effurun skyline would never be the same again as Julius Berger was handling the laudable projects with three flyover bridges and road expansion works currently ongoing in the corridor.
According to him, “other roads have been completed within Asaba and the capital territory, while in Delta South a lot of roads in Warri, Isoko North and Isoko South have also been completed, while new ones have also been initiated.
“In Sapele and Okpe, a lot of road projects are ongoing, while some have been completed like the Ohorhor-Adagbrasa-Ugolo-Okuodiete road, Ezesi Road dualisation in Orerokpe and other internal roads in Sapele.
“In Delta North, Eweshi-Utagba-Uno and Ndemili-Utagba-Uno Road in Ndokwa West, Akumazi-Umuocha and Owere-Olubor roads have been completed, while the Issele-Azagba-Otulu road is currently ongoing.”
Aniagwu also said Governor Oborevwori had been building bridges of possibilities, connecting communities and giving room for both business interaction and for people to also have some form of interaction with their kiths and kins in their neighbouring local government areas.
“His business, at the moment, is governance and he is not going to lose sight of it.
“Because of side talks and because he believes that this is not the time to begin to play politics, what he is doing at the moment is to ensure that he keeps faith with all Deltans.
“He believes that every Deltan deserves the dividend of democracy and that is what he has concerned himself all about.
“I also recall that in one of our outings at the UPU celebration at Uvwiamuge-Agbarho, in Ughelli North Local Government Area, the Governor asked his kinsmen and Deltans to support the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“He was very clear when he noted that the support for Tinubu also is equal to support for him, that is not politicking; that is governance because, the times we are in now is not for politics but governance.”
In the Education sector, Aniagwu said the administration had established and operationalized a campus of the Southern Delta State University, at Orerokpe, as well as introduced a College of Health Sciences at the institution’s main campus in Ozoro.
He said the administration had also upgraded facilities in several general hospitals and over 150 primary healthcare centres and provided substantial funding to numerous Colleges of Nursing, Midwifery, and Health Technology, and established a College of Health Technology at Ovrode, which is now operational.
On the housing sector, the Commissioner said, “the administration has commenced the building of 50 housing units made up of 30 three bedrooms and 20 two bedrooms in Ozoro, Kwale and Owa-Oyibu as a pilot scheme, while eight units of duplex are also being constructed to accommodate more Commissioners in the quarters.
“As part of its efforts at diversifying the economy of the state, the administration has sealed a deal with UTM LNG for the harnessing of the huge reserves of natural gas in the state.
On fiscal discipline and efficient resource allocation, Aniagwu said “over N200 billion has been paid to liquidate the state’s debt stock while contractors are being mobilised with new jobs with outstanding job certificates paid as they fall due.”
He added, “just yesterday, the Governor drove round the entire city to identify many projects that require attention and I can assure you that he is also ready to revamp the state’s broadcast outfits in Asaba and Warri.
“As part of breathing a new lease of life on the stations, the Governor has directed that I submit a report on the stations within the three weeks”, he added.
