The history of the world is nothing but the history of great men—Thomas Carlyle.

ACCORDING to Edmond Burke, the heights reached and attained by great men were not by sudden flight. They toiled all night whilst others slept, and this is the mien of Delta State Governor-elect, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa. This quintessential, political pundit is a personality who needs no introduction because he is presently a distinguished serving Senator.

The expectations from him are high because the people see him as a change agent. So he cannot afford to disappoint those who see him as the long-awaited ‘messiah.’ Therefore, he must hit the ground running in respect of his party’s manifesto and his avowed campaign promises.

It is necessary to remind Okowa of the need to prioritise vis-à-vis the available resources. He must imbibe inclusiveness by moving away from resentment politics to shared inclusiveness such that all sections must come together and be allowed to have their say in government affairs, whether or not they are in the opposition. The time for the macabre dance and buffoonery are over.

The cost of government is one area that has become worrisome and a cause for concern that successive governments have not possessed the political will to address. So far, all the talk about efforts to reduce the size of government has all been ogogoro prescription, forgotten once the intoxication wears off.

Recurrent expenditure is presently an albatross currently suffocating life out of government. Cost must be cut or we may end up like Emperor Nero, who played fiddle while Rome burns.

The Okowa administration should consider as a priority, the need to look into the possibility of a merger of some ministries and agencies. Some of the Boards in the state have outlived their usefulness and should be scrapped. There is the need to reduce the number of political appointees and their appendages to reduce overhead costs. The processes of the award of contacts should follow due process and be sincerely transparent to invoke confidence.

Is Delta beyond oil a myth? If this pooh-poohed concept is to be taken seriously, we must carry out a thorough auditing of our infrastructural stock delivery in terms of quality and sustainability to drive a state without oil.

Today, one of the high points or star attraction in the Delta beyond oil masquerade display, the Asaba Airport, has been downgraded. Therefore, the incoming Okowa administration must do thorough stock taking of our present state of infrastructural provisions to separate the wheat from the chaff.

The concept should either be kept in abeyance or its campaign whittled down to a tolerable level until its foggy haze clears. Thus, there is the need for the Okowa administration to concentrate on Delta with oil first.

There is drought in the area of tourism. Conferences are held in the state periodically. But where do we expect the participants to visit as we have in Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Lagos and so on. Tourism is a money spinner anywhere, any day and also a growth catalyst.

Now and again our people travel out for holidays to be served sushi in foreign lands. What efforts have we made here to bring in foreigners to be also served isiewu and fresh fish pepper soup with native seasoning? It is an area into which the new administration should put some resources because the returns are great.

There is no zoo in Delta State and there is need to develop one. Our beaches and waterfronts should be developed for tourist attraction and scenic beauty. A standard world class stadium is a tourist haven and for a sports-loving state like Delta, it will generate commensurate tourist activities, hence the need to start one in collaboration with the private sector.

Health tourism is one area that the Okowa government should be interested in, especially as the governor-elect is a medical doctor. A good hospital comparable to the ones we visit in India and other countries should be contemplated in Delta as soon as possible.

Hotels operating in the state have so far paid their dues in respect of uplifting tourism in a state with minimal tourism provisions, hence the need fre them from multiple taxation and encourage them through tax waivers to enable them expand their operations.

Obaro Obru Egboro, president of a civil society group, wrote from Asaba, Delta State.