IKA Nation was agog last weekend as Team SMART for Okowa stormed the area as part of its activities to promote and preach the gospel of the Delta State Governor, Sen. Ifeanyi Okowa, ahead of the 2019 governorship elections.

From left to right: Director-General, Team SMART for Okowa, Hon. Sunny Orishedere; Grand Patron of Team SMART, Elder Sam Nwa-Igumbor ; Coordinator, Ika Federal Constituency, Team SMART, Rev. Philip Urubuisi and State Woman Leader, Princess Efezomor Ani acknowledging cheers from the crowd during the rally in Agbor.

Team SMART came on board on February 12, 2016, as a consensus building body which is out to serve as instrument for mass mobilization and dissemination of information to keep Deltans abreast on the activities of the Governor Ifeanyi Okowa’s SMART Agenda.

Team SMART is a group of patriotic minded members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and non party members who share the same ideology, vision and are ready to contribute their quotas towards the realization of its noble mission.

It is a product of selfless individuals in the state who have resolved to commit their intellectual and material resources towards translating the aspirations of the SMART Agenda into reality.

It’s mission is to collate data on the achievements of the SMART Agenda of Governor Okowa’s administration as well as to disseminate same to all the nooks and crannies of the state through town hall meetings, seminars, symposium, workshops and the likes; to generate feedback and ideas through interaction, seminars among others from all stakeholders in the Delta State project towards the execution of programmes and policies of the state government; to liaise with Ministries, Departments And Agencies to collate, publish facts and figures of the current administration’s achievements quarterly.

Others are mobilizing popular support from the populace for the party and state government ; drawing the attention of the government to actions and policies that are not in the best interest of Deltans; as a bridge between the elected and the electorates among others.

Delta State executive of Team SMART for Okowa in a group photograph during the rally

In furtherance of its campaign for the state Governor, the group is currently on sensitization visit to all the local government in the state to emphasize the need for Deltans to support the governor’s second term bid with a view to sustain the foundation of development he (Okowa) has begun in the state.

The latest of its campaign for state government is the Ika Federal Constituency rally/sensitization on the SMART Agenda and Sen. Okowa’s continuity come, 2019.

Speaking at the well attended rally/sensitization in Agbor last week, the Director-General, Team SMART For Okowa, Hon. Sunny Orishedere, argued that Okowa is the ordained man of God to take Delta State to the next level.

He asked rhetorically: ” What will you say of a man who doggedly embarked on the construction of 187 road projects and as of January 2018, 87 of these roads have also been completed ?”

On health, Orishedere disclosed that various central hospitals were currently undergoing massive rehabilitation and remodeling for effective healthcare delivery services, adding that the Contributory Health Commission is doing well with over 112,166 registered enrollees, free maternal and under five children and aged senior citizens were also currently receiving free healthcare services through over 150 care givers in hospitals.

According to him, through the STEP, YAGEP, PWDs and GEEP programmes of the Okowa led-administration, over 3, 069 youths including 51 disabled have also been trained and established in enterprises of their choice, another 4, 000 trained in vocational centers across the state, while 5,312 youths were also employed and trained under the SEEFOR project.

The DG added : ” The Delta State Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency, has within the period under review, disbursed N835, 700, 000 to 593 cooperative societies across the state which comprises of 6, 252 beneficiaries across the 25 local government areas to cover trading, market women, artisan and small farms holders.

Women of Team SMART during the rally

” As of November 2017, 560 classrooms were constructed, 599 were renovated while a total of 59, 267 classrooms furniture and 7, 884 teachers’ furniture were also provided for schools across the state by this administration.

” The infrastructural upgrade of Technical Colleges at Agbor, Sapele, Ofagbe, Ogor, Otagbe-Ugbe, Isele-Uku among others for creation and sustenance of future employers of labour were achieved with the completion and commencement of academic activities in these schools. Select model schools such as Ogbemudein, Burutu and Warri model schools were also upgraded.

” We now have an ultra-model state Library Complex, Office of the Head of Service, Asaba, Asaba flood control project, the Central Hospital, Asaba Stadium and the ongoing Ultra-Model Secretariat, Asaba and the recent award of Oko-Road in Oshimili South local government.”

While insisting that Ika Nation does not need the gospel ” Because the evidence of Okowa’s hard work are all over Ika nation. As of today, 35 roads which include completed and ongoing are in progress in Ika nation. This also include the dualization of Owa-Eke and Owa-Alero road, completion of Old Lagos/Asaba Agbor and the opening of other adjoining roads linking both Ika North-East and Ika South which has increased economic activities in the twin local government.”

He called on all Team SMART members and Deltans to mobilize its various wards and constituencies in the state to ensure a successful registration of voters’ ahead of 2019, noting that this is the only way they could reciprocate the governor’s good works towards them.

Also speaking, the Coordinator, Ika Federal Constituency, Team SMART, Rev. Philip Urubuisi, called on indigenes of Ika federal constituency to join hands with Team SMART to re-elect Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to ensure his second term bid came to reality.

He said, inter-alia: ” As you all know, despite the economic situation in the country, Okowa displayed an uncommon level of leadership by showing us the stuff he is made off; he did not play the blame game rather he brought his wealth of experience to bare thereby bringing prosperity for all Deltans.”

Urubuisi, who is also a Patron of Team SMART, expressed optimism that with the level of success the governor has recorded in Ika federal constituency and the state at large since he came on board, it would guarantee him landslide victory come, 2019.

On his part, the Grand Patron of Team SMART, Elder Sam Nwa-Igumbor, reminded members of the group of its ideals which he noted was aimed at selling the achievements of the SMART Governor Okowa to the grassroots, insisting that it remained a task that must be carried out as 2019 was around the corner.

He said one of the star achievements of Team SMART is the Okowa Free Extra-Mural Lesson for JSS2 and JSS 3 and SS2 and SS3 students which cuts across the three senatorial districts of the state, adding that it was the group’s way of supporting the education policies of the current administration.

” We have focused on these young set of students as beneficiaries of the free extra-mural lessons because of the benefits inherent in such gesture for the society on the long run considering the fact we are catching them.

” We are doing this bearing in mind that education is the great engine of personal development. It is through education that the daughter of a peasant can become a medical doctor, the son of a mine worker can become head of the mine, that a child of a farm worker can become president of a country.

” More than ever, we must channel our energies into consolidating the gains of the SMART Agenda by joining hands together with the state government to harness the achievements made so far in every sector of the state’s economy. Beyond this, we must imbibe the consciousness that it is pay back time once again, a time for us to reciprocate the governor’s good gesture towards us.

He, therefore, charged all to stay in peace and exhibit a deep sense of responsibility in showcasing the governor’s activities in all the nooks and crannies of the state.

Others state executive of the group who spoke at the event include the state Secretary, Barr. Frank Osafile; Delta Central coordinator, Mr. Martins Eboh; Delta South Coordinator, Mr, Dan Aniretan; state Woman Leader, Princess Efezomor Ani; Director, Contact and Mobilization, Mr. Frank Anukwu among others.