By Obaro Unuafe

Immediately after the inauguration of Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa as the governor on May 29th, 2015, he made it quite clear to all that he was in a hurry to transform the Delta State peculiar terrain.

Gov. Okowa

The first thing he did to show that he meant business was to intervene in the Benin-Warri Expressway (a federal road) by fixing the failed portions of the road. Dr. Okowa’s road imprints are now seen everywhere across Delta State.

In Asaba, the capital of Delta State we have lost count of the number of roads the Delta State government has constructed or refurbished. Dr. Okowa’s administration has even advanced further by going into roads in the difficult terrains of Forcados and Burutu and some riverine areas of Warri South West, Warri South and Warri North – places where princes feared to tread.

One novel thing about the roads embarked upon by the Delta State government is that they seem to concentrate on economic roads that would positively affect the economic fortunes of the people in the affected areas.

The Governor does this by opening up roads that link the hinterland where it would become easier for food stuff and goods to be transported to the upland markets. Dr. Okowa have added new roads to be executed taking advantage of the dry season in addition to the over 90 roads project that have been completed or are at different stages of completion.

They include the reconstruction and resurfacing of roads like the old Umunede/Emuhu road, Obiaruku/Abbi roads, access road to Ugbuwangue new layout, construction of Okuomowa road to Osubi to link Efekpo lane and the construction of Ekete main road, off DSC expressway among others. Work is also going on steadily on the portion of the 147 kilometer road initially awarded to Woksons (Int.) Ltd. but now allegedly re-awarded to CCC for accelerated result. All these projects have endeared persons in these catchment areas to Dr. Okowa.

In sports, the Asaba township stadium, renamed Stephen Keshi Stadium is now on course. We will recall that the construction of the stadium started since the time of Olorogun Felix Ibru. Successive governments after Ibru attempted to complete the stadium to no avail. Many people began to feel that the stadium project was jinxed.

A look at the stadium today and the level of construction work going on there will convince even the cynic that the stadium will be completed before the end of Dr. Okowa’s first term. We should not forget that Dr. Okowa assisted the former provost of the Ozoro Polytechnic, Dr. Oboreh, with some funds to complete the wonder Ozoro Polytechnic Stadium in record time.

It is surprising that even amidst general economic downturn in the country. Dr. Okowa is unscathed and has continued as if everything is normal. To ensure that his projects wear a human face, Dr. Okowa recently flagged off the Delta State social welfare for widows with 5,500 widows benefitting. He has also promised that no Deltan will be left out of the prosperity agenda of government.

• Unuafe, National Coordinator, Campaign for Good Governance, is resident in Asaba.