Delta State under Uduaghan
GOVERNANCE all over the universe no doubt is an act of being able to bring to the door steps of the governed those things that could be beneficiary to them.
In Delta State, which is regarded as mini Nigeria, the clamour for governance needs to be closely looked into and emphasis laid on the pedigree and track records of whosoever indicates interest to be given the mandate of governance by the electorates.
The present political dispensation makes it an easy task for all Nigerians above voting age and who have attained at least a qualification of school certificate to qualify to aspire for the position of any political office.
The political position of governor of a state like Delta, you will agree with me, is not for just anybody rather such exalted position must be allowed to be aspired for by only those with credible result-oriented and focused leadership.
In the past three and half years, Delta State, under the able leadership of Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan has stood in the forefront and has become the envy of other states of the federation as a result of overwhelming infrastructural development evident in the nooks and crannies of communities in the 25 local government areas of the state.
Delta State under the leadership of Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan is now a peaceful state whose result has attracted a lot of foreign firms to the state, the human capital development through the three-point agenda – security, peace and capital development.
Delta State is one of the few states today with an international airport at near completion stage apart from projects for dualisation of roads, construction of bridges to link hinterland communities to urban towns, the establishment of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in the state which has provided solar-powered water boreholes to check water scarcity in every community, street lights, establishment of an ultra- modern skill acquisition centres at the three senatorial districts of the state – Ozoro and Koko for Delta South Senatorial district, Agbarho and Sapele for Delta Central Senatorial district and Issele-Uku and Asaba for Delta North Senatorial district.
The interesting aspect of these centres is the magnanimity of Dr. Uduaghan’s administration to ensure that the skill acquisition centres are each equipped with an industrial welding workshop so that the youths of the area can work in the oil and gas industries of the country. A cybercafe of (22 stations) with both illustration and other research books/records and 150KVA sound proof generators attached to each.
The PDP administration of Uduaghan can best be described as God-sent to the people of Delta State based on his countless achievements, including the free maternal health-care delivery programme, the free education, including payment of NECO fees and bursary awards for all Deltans in any higher institution of learning in the country, provision of job opportunities, restoration of peace in the state, among others.
It is important as a stakeholder in the PDP and a member of the executive council, to remind Deltans, especially those of Delta North Senatorial District, of the need to ensure that they come together and rally support for Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan as we cannot afford to lose the only opportunity towards the aspirations of a Delta-North governance in 2015.
Deltans should remain resolute and committed, while the people of Delta North should as a mark of honour and with a show of appreciation for the abundant infrastructural development in the area brought by Uduaghan’s administration, join forces to support him.
They should not allow themselves to be deceived as Dr. Uduaghan is a man who understands the terrain, unlike those based in Lagos and the diaspora whose ambition to govern the state is not only for their selfish enrichment but to create an avenue to bring disorder that will at the end call for an artificial state of emergency which “God forbid” will deny the good people of the state the dividends of democracy of the Uduaghan administration.
My candid advice as a way forward for better governance is for all Deltans, irrespective of political party difference, not to succumb to the antics of other political parties and their self-made leaders; rather they should rise up and give their utmost support to the present administration of Uduaghan now and to 2015 when no doubt he will join our other brothers and sisters to support us in our quest for governance in 2015 as a Delta North governor.
Dr. AUSTIN OBIDI is Commissioner for Special Duties (MDGs) in Delta State.
