By Felix Ofou

Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, Thursday, February 13, 2025 said his administration was poised to deliver life-changing projects for the people ahead of his second year anniversary. He disclosed this in his opening remarks at the maiden State Executive Council meeting for 2025 at Exco Chamber, Government House, Asaba.

He said his administration has lined up humongous projects across the three senatorial districts and urged Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to fastrack the process of awarding the projects in line with his administration’s MORE Agenda. “Today is the first Exco meeting of the state this year (2025) and we are happy to make use of this dry season to achieve a lot in our infrastructure drive”, he declared.

Oborevwori was unmistakenly blunt on what he set out to achieve, ahead of May 29, 2025 which would signify the end of second year in office. Said he: “Deltans will be very happy and that is what we want. We are doing this in line with our MORE Agenda because we have promised Deltans that we are going to advance the state through the MORE Agenda and that is what we are doing”.

Sounding a note of warning, the Governor remarked that contractors had few months to work before the rains set in. He therefore directed that the contractors and the supervising agencies and ministries should take advantage of the current dry season and speed up work to ensure effective delivery.

But, no one was prepared for the avalanche of projects that were approved by the Exco that Thursday. It was an unprecedented announcement that heralded the first maiden meeting of Oborevwori’s cabinet. The outcome shattered records of such previous meetings.

The Exco announced an armada of projects exceeding N275Billion. It also disclosed government’s preparedness to pay 40% mobilisation fees to contractors to mobilize to site and ensure that they keep up to the pace expected by the Governor. It was a disruptive positive meeting that was presided over by Oborevwori.

The Exco at the end of its meeting, approved over N275 billion for the execution of several projects spanning different sectors across the three senatorial districts of the state. It was the highest approval by any Exco since the creation of Delta State in 1991.

Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads) and Public Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu, who briefed the press after the meeting, said the approvals were record-breaking, outstanding and deafening to critics. It was a very excited spokesman for the government who broke the cheering news.

Flanked by his counterparts in Works (Highways and Urban Roads), Comrade Reuben Izeze; Economic Planning, Mr Sonny Ekedayen; Health, Dr Joseph Onojaeme; the Director-General, Delta State Capital Territory Development Agency, Chief Patrick Ukah; his counterpart in Warri Uvwie and Environs Development Agency (WUEDA), Prince Godwin Ejinyere, Aniagwu disclosed that Governor Oborevwori was determined to ensure Deltans get value for every money spent on projects in the state.

“Today, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori led us to make history since the 34 years existence of Delta State where, in one Exco meeting over N275 billion worth of projects were approved for the good people of Delta cutting across the three senatorial districts.

“These projects span different sectors targeted at giving value to our people; improving connectivity by way of roads, advancing their health by way of efforts in the health sector and, of course, urban renewal by making our cities much more liveable.

“Virtually all the projects we approved today are coming with 40 per cent mobilisation without our government having to go and borrow, and that tells you how solvent we are as a state, thanks to the very accountable and transparent governance philosophy of Governor Oborevwori,” he stated.

Among projects approved was the remodelling of the Warri City Stadium, which Aniagwu said was a bold step to ensure that legacy projects were not in short supply in the state. Also approved was the construction of Uruagbesa Oria-Abraka Road, phase 1; construction of Egodo-Ogbeinbene Road, and the construction of Faculty B at the Southern Delta University, Orerokpe campus.

Others include the construction of Amai-Aragba road; construction of Inam-Abbi access road; construction of internal roads at Ugbolu Hilltop Government layout (Phase 1); the construction of Umuoshimi Road with spurs to Ogbe-Aku and market road in Onicha-Ugbo; the construction of Okerenkoko-Pepeama-Kokodiagbene road with a spur to Teiteipur in Warri South-West, and the construction of Benikrukru Township Roads (Phase II).

Also approved, according to the Commissioner, was the rehabilitation of Bomadi-Gbaregolor road, the construction of Okwetolor-Okobia-Aragba Road; the construction of Ogbe-Isogban Road in Abavo; Owa-Ewere Road in Owa-Oyibu; as well as upward review of Ayakoromo bridge. The rehabilitation and asphalt overlay of Okpanam Road from Post Office Junction to Catholic Church Roundabout to Okpanam Bypass Junction was likewise given a nod.

Equally significant, was the approved of the construction of Iwride-Iyede internal roads (Phase 1); the construction of Ogbe-Ijoh/Aladja Road phase 2, and the construction of Okwighele-Amuokpokpor Road, among others.

On his part, the Commissioner for Works (Highways and Urban Roads), Comrade Reuben Izeze, commended Governor Oborevwori for the massive provision of 40 per cent mobilisation for all the approved projects. He revealed that no government in the state had shown more commitment to the sustained funding of projects than the Oborevwori administration.

Izeze added that Governor Oborevwori had cleared all outstanding certificates owed contractors, including N8bn previously owed on the Trans-Warri Road and bridges, as well as putting the project on the Irrevocable Standing Payment Order, ISPO module.

He disclosed that additional storm drainage work was approved to take care of Koka Junction and Achalla-Ibusa area, in addition to what CCECC was doing around Winners’ Chapel on Ibusa Road. He also commented the Exco for approving the upward review of Ayakoromo bridge with provision for ISPO, adding that review of the design of cloverleaf on Effurun Roundabout to ensure property owners around the area were not encumbered was also approved.

The Commissioner for Health, Dr Joseph Onojaeme, on his part, said Exco approved N1.6bn for the Contributory Health Scheme and a monthly release of N100m to ensure sustainability of the health coverage for Deltans. Equally approved, according to him, was the establishment of a Specialist Hospital at Osubi with Public Laboratory and Psychiatric Clinic; total rehabilitation of General Hospital, Expan, and the completion of Library Building at Delta State University Teaching Hospital, Oghara, to ensure an increase in admission intake for the university.

Worthy of note in another regard was the disclosure by the Director General of the Delta State Capital Territory Development Agency (DSCTDA), Chief Patrick Ukah of plans by the government to transform Asaba, the state capital and Warri, the oil rich city. It’s a plan for massive urban renewal and major infrastructural development.

Briefing journalists at the end the meeting, Ukah expressed excitement at the recent approvals for road infrastructure projects in the agency, adding that the development was a significant step towards enhancing urban renewal, improving connectivity and boosting economic growth.

The DG emphasized the government’s commitment to transforming the capital territory through strategic infrastructure upgrades, assuring residents that the approved projects would bring lasting benefits to the capital territory.

Said he: “I must tell you that the Capital Territory has received a lot of attention, especially in the area of road infrastructure. I am happy to report that the Umejei Road in Ibusa, is being given a complete facelift, and the Okpanam Township Road, from the City Gate to the church and extending into Amaichai down to the Post Office, has also been approved for reconstruction.

“We are also making significant progress across BONSAC. A 2.6-kilometer road from the Road Safety office is being constructed into BONSAC, along with a network of roads that will connect to Achalla Ibusa Road. Before now, some of our projects were stalled due to upward reviews. However, in this administration, about eight of them have now been approved, and the contractors are returning to the sites.

“Four of these are major projects that many of us were concerned about due to delays. For instance, the one crossing Ogbeogonogo Market has been approved, and Odilison has also received approval. Once the official release is issued, you will see the full details of these roads.

“Most importantly, in line with the governor’s MORE agenda, the transformation of the capital city has officially begun. The entire capital territory is set to receive a facelift, and the development, under the MORE agenda, is being accelerated,” he stated.

Also speaking, the WUEDA Director-General, Prince Godwin Ejinyere said Governor Oborevwori had directed that all major roads in Warri and environs should be given a face-lift. “I want to inform Deltans that Warri truly will be great again as promised by the governor. He has given the go ahead for us to reconstruct bad roads, to repair bad roads and reconstruct roads linking major places in Warri.

“All the roads we are doing are not for political patronage. The Governor has directed that we identify all bad roads in Warri and make sure Warri wears a new look. Outside that, Exco graciously approved the additional works for the stormwater project taking place in Warri. The Warri storm water project was awarded sometime in April 2024 and has now been reviewed upward to accommodate additional works and also considering the rising cost of building and construction materials.

“We had to look into a lot of things for the job not to stop. Rome was not built in a day but I want to tell us that the job has been increased from what it used to be, to cover many other areas in Warri and environs. I want to say, on behalf of all our Warri people, that we owe nothing but prayers for our governor,” he declared.

Indeed, Oborevwori has continued to blaze the trail in terms of infrastructural development. His promise to be Governor for all Deltans, as encapsulated in his inaugural address to the citizenry on May 29, 2023 cannot be described as a fluke. He has consistently walked the talk, surpassing the expectations of many.

No wonder, Oborevwori has been celebrated both within and outside Delta State. Numerous awards and commendations have heralded the good works of the Governor in the past few months. Notable among which is the Governor of the Year, 2024 by ThisDay/Arise News Media Group, and most recently, by New Telegraph Newspaper. Daily Independent newspaper gas also joined the cue, except that Oborevwori gets the prize, mainly for giant strides in the health sector.

Yet, the vote of confidence in the Governor by elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark, who recently passed on, cannot be wished away. Neither can we wish away the words on marble by the Urhobo Progress Union (UPU) and the umbrella bodies of the Isoko, Ijaw, Itsekiri and Anioma, all of whom have said that Oborevwori hit the bullseye when it comes to stellar performance. Opposition leaders in the rival All Progressives Congress (APC) are unable to hide their admiration for a man whose works speak elegantly well for him.

Suffice it to say that Governor Sheriff Oborevwori has by exceptional and remarkable performance earned, deservedly, eligibility to seek a second term in office in 2027. It will definitely be an easy walk for the man with ‘street credibility’ and an eye consistently focused on making history as the best performing governor ever to mount the saddle in Government House, Asaba.