Rethinking Priorities: A call for sustainable Development in Delta State
By: Linus Chima
From the onset, let me make clear that this write up promises to be as brief as possible.
However, if in any way this piece offends you, please start forgiving me before you taste the last drop. I am exercising my choice and right to speak as guaranteed in our constitution and as a media man whose view of society might be slightly different under the canopy of development journalism.
Starting off, it was pleasant News to many people in Delta State particularly in Ika South and Ughelli North when in the last State Executive Council meeting approval was given to spend Ninety Seven Billion Naira on flyovers in these two Local Government Areas.
Many people in Delta State warmly welcomed the initiative, moreso upon the transformation unfolding at the East West Highway linking in Effurun to Benin as well as Enerhen Junction.
To be fair, flyovers like these when commissioned will ease movement and add a fresh touch of aesthetics in places where they are cited. It is already showing in spite of the pains experienced by road users as the project takes form.
Having acknowledged that, it is my ignorant view, perhaps an unpopular understanding that the Agbor and Otovwodo flyovers are a tragic waste of the resources of Delta State.
Those who must have egged Governor Sheriff Oborewvori to consider building these flyovers at this material time, may have made a monumental error. On their dashboard they might have seen the project as a good political advantage, a model of success, a beacon of legacy projects which His Excellency will leave behind and for which his name will resonate in the history of Delta State.
Some, may have sold the idea believing it to be a political master stroke following the warm embrace of the Effurun and Enerhen Junction flyovers.
For the political gladiators in the ruling party, the Agbor/ Ughelli flyovers when completed will stand as clear testimonies of success and a reason to return His Excellency to office. A good number of these politicians, will use this advantage to ride in Governor Oborewvori’s this chariot for a second, third or fourth term, while some will get the gate pass to test the waters of politics and power at the first attempt on stilt sticks.
To a few others, this will be a great opportunity to feast on the resources of the State Government.
No doubt, the accolades have been high since the announcement was made. Sheriff is gradually assuming the moniker as the flyover master in this renewed hope era Indeed, he is giving more. Much more than anyone expected.
There is no doubt that, a number of people thought he would be the lackey in the journey at his first sip of governance as Governor of Delta State. Like Usain Bolt he is speeding ahead to the tape.
Nonetheless, something his advisers may have gotten wrong is setting His Excellency up for a most expensive campaign prior to 2027.
It is obvious that whichever way people want to look at these flyovers, they are the credentials, the clear testaments that he will present to his party to write his name in bold relief.
This is what the people of Delta State will see and give him the thumbs up.
Yet, he could have chosen a far less expensive route. A route that could have been a win win for everyone.
Let me explain.
Ninety seven billion Naira is not Ninety Seven Million or Nine hundred and seventy million Naira.
To be sure, Twenty Billion Naira would have created a mouthful of satisfaction for the people of Delta State and there will still be seventy seven billion Naira to play with in the quest to transform the State.
Of the seventy seven billion Naira, thirty billion would have beamed more smiles on the faces of millions of people residing in Delta State and there will still be over thirty billion to push around. But, greedy, itchy fingers are on King Arthur’s table, their swords sharp and their minds intent at confusing the Governor.
What do the people of Delta State actually need? Very little!
Delta State’s IGR as quoted has soared to over one hundred billion Naira recently while monthly and sundry allocations from the Federation account prints on Delta State like a badge on the face.
Some will say that there is a huge debt overhang gradually being offset and that so far all that is being put on ground being are achieved without borrowing.
These indeed are weighty credentials that amount to nothing for the men and women of Delta State sweating under the Sun and braving the rains to survive.
The point is, twenty Billion Naira well applied in the lives of the people of Delta State will cause a ripple effect that by 2027 the political party that will sponsor Governor Sheriff Oborewvori will coast home no matter how stormy the political sea may be.
Let me break it down:
The Delta State Government needs to invest more directly in the lives of the people to improve their living standards and this is common sense.
This, in the first place is the reason for the Government. To collect resources, aggregate them, define how and where to use them in the best interest of the people.
It should be noted that the wealth in the hands of the President, the Governor even the Local Government Chairman is not their personal fortune, but resources held in trust to be judiciously employed for the well being of the people.
To this end, investing in agriculture, developing the comparative advantages of each community and providing for them life’s basics will make a refreshing difference while containing the alarming problem of rural urban drift, including emigrating from the country.
It is not clear how much the Delta State Government has invested in agriculture to enhance food production in the last twenty years, what is obvious however is that nutritional deficiency is running high undermining the health of the people. This is an indication that the food production dashboard is too narrow to improve the lives and health of the people.
My point is that, injecting ten Billion Naira in agriculture will make a profound impact in food security and food availability and diversity in Delta State under one year. Pushing five billion Naira into the agriculture value chain will create thousands of jobs while making food available and affordable for people.
If this administration also took transportation seriously it should have since invested at least twenty billion Naira in purchasing CNG or other buses and taxis as well as building CNG refueling stations for cheaper energy to run vehicles.
My point is, this is the people’s money and from the very onset their informed opinions about how their money is used for their welfare is paramount.
It is sad that, House of Assembly members, members of the State Executive Council and many other intelligent persons whose wisdom ought to run deeper appear not to have connection with their people. They seem unable to aggregate the needs of their people and influence changes that make sense.
All communities in Delta State enjoy comparative advantages in certain aspects of agricultural output.
Nothing for instance stops the Government from giving proper support to farmers and tasking them to increase output to provide stock to end use industries. Igbodo for instance is known for tomatoes production, Patani for oil palm, Abavo for yam, Okerenkoko for pepper, Gbaramatu and Burutu for fish and crayfish, Ubulu in Aniocha North and South for palm oil, Ewulu for ranching of goats, sheep, cattle and other animals. The more than twenty Urhobo communities were a hub of rubber production while Warri South West can produce the plantain and banana that will enhance the lives of people. Uhweru has a high quality Groundnut, kpokpo garri and madiga can be so improved to stand on Supermarket shelf and for export.
Have you seen Ode market in Ughelli South where hundreds of tonnes of sweet potatoes are sold? You will weep and at the same time commend the resilience of the women who have kept the economy of Delta State going.
The upland of Delta State can produce colanuts, bitter cola, cocoa, cashew, and many fruit trees.
It is common knowledge that Abraka in Ethiope East has one of the best land for cassava cultivation, while pineapple grows luxuriantly in Umutu.
The question is, how are we harnessing these agricultural blessings, these gifts of nature for the people economic well being of the people of Delta State?
A fraction of the twenty billion Naira channeled into agriculture will certainly help to provide several seeds necessary for improving nutrition, keeping the people healthy and putting money in their pockets.
With agriculture and transportation settled the people of Delta State will be the ones singing to the accolade of Governor Sheriff Oborewvori.
Obviously, he must pay proper attention to areas such as education, health care, housing and security and recruitment workers all of these areas are calling for his attention.
It is those who have eaten well, those who have a place to earn a living, those who are sure of their children’s education, those who have a little savings that will appreciate the ninety seven billion Naira projects.
It is those who have can get good Medicare, those whose children can go to higher institutions without having to borrow that can appreciate such huge projects.
It is those whose lives have been positively impacted by the commonwealth placed in the hands of Right Honourable Governor Sheriff Oborewvori that will effortlessly come out on election day to cast the victory votes for him.
The flyovers are good for a season, but investing in life saving, life giving, life enhancing human faced projects will certainly be a game changer as the journey inches towards the next election in 2027.
