The Economic Communities Of West African States (ECOWAS) has expressed it readiness to establish electricity market in West Africa where contractors can buy power to improve energy generation and industrialization of the sub-region.

Speaking at the 7th Edition of the ECOWAS Sustainable Energy Forum (ESEF2022) in Abuja, ECOWAS President, Dr. Omar Touray, who was represented by ECOWAS Commissioner for Infrastructure, Energy and Digitalisation, Sediko Douka,lamented that 50% of Africans have access to electricity, but less than 10% are accessible to those in the rural areas.

He said: “The ECOWAS Commission and its specialised energy Agencies are working tirelessly to address these challenges. Our strategic objective is to integrate the operation of the Community’s national power grids into a unified regional electricity market to ensure a stable, regular, and reliable supply of competitively priced electricity to the citizens of the ECOWAS member States in the medium term. We plan to achieve this objective by promoting and developing power generation and transmission facilities and equipment and coordinating electricity trade among the ECOWAS Member States.”

Touray added that: “It is the reason that we launched the regional electricity market since June 2018 and the ECOWAS Statutory Bodies adopted a Master Plan for the per development of regional power generation and transmission infrastructure 2019-2033 aiming to generate 16000 MW and construct 23000 km interconnection electric lines. It is a portfolio of 75 regional projects amounting 37 billion USD. The generation will promote the utilisation of renewable energy and natural gas, very abundant in our region.

“The implementation of this Master Plan and the previous ones reaches a result where we have presently 13 countries interconnected; the remaining one country will be interconnected by the end of this year. Also, through the support of our traditional technical and financial partners, the WAPP Information and Coordination Centre (ICC) located in Cotonou, Benin will be operational by the end of this year and will serve as the regional electricity market operator, i.e. a place where stakeholders can sell and buy electricity by next year the reason.”

He revealed that: “The ECOWAS Commission is also working on improving energy access for the ECOWAS rural population and actively promoting the deployment of off-grid energy solutions, such as clean energy mini-grids and stand-alone technologies.

“To this end, several regional projects are at the stage of implementation within the region. Our objective is to have an access consolidated rate of 70% by 2030.”

He said: “Following the adoption of the regional policies on renewable energy and energy efficiency by the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government in July 2013, which tasked the Region to achieve ambitious targets by 2020 and 2030, this Forum rightly affords us a significant opportunity as a region and stakeholders to take stock of progress to-date. Indeed,

“The ECOWAS Renewable Energy Policy, aims to increase the share of renewable energy in the region’s overall electricity mix to 48% in 2030; and the ECOWAS Energy Efficiency Policy, aims to implement measures that free 2000 MW of power generation capacity and in the medium term, more than double the annual improvement in energy efficiency.”

He however lamented that: “To date, only half of the ECOWAS citizens have access to modern energy services; hence they are consistently deprived of the full benefits of electricity for socio-economic development, which, if not addressed, would hinder the Region from achieving its Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

He said: “That is why we launched the regional electricity market and will generate over 60,000 megawatts of electricity with over 23,000 distribution points.

“By next year we will have electricity market where contractors can buy electricity.” He added that: “We are developing a new energy policy for the region that will be operational by June next year.”

The Nigeria’s Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, in his opening remarks, explained that the Nigerian energy transition plan seeks to tackle the twin renewable energy issues; climate change and emissions.

Osinbajo, who was represented by Nigeria’s Minister of Power, Engr. Abubakar Aliyu said: “Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plan is a prime example of the needed evolution of policies to deliver both the growth in energy consumption necessary for development and the climate response required for the preservation of our planet. Our Energy Transition Plan seeks to tackle the dual crises of energy poverty and climate change, and deliver universal energy access (SDG7) by 2030 and net-zero by 2060. It is also a bolder articulation of our commitment to sustainability and renewables as earlier proposed in the Electricity Vision 30:30:30, which aims to provide 30GW of electricity by the year 2030 with renewable energy contributing at least 30% to the energy mix. While Nigeria led the charge in becoming the first African country to develop such a detailed Energy Transition Plan, we know the captured ambitions are not unique to us.”

The Nigeria’s VP while commending Regional sustainable energy policies like the ECOWAS Renewable Energy Policy (EREP) and the ECOWAS Energy Efficiency Policy (EEEP), said “recent global events reveal that we have another chance to determine the future of energy development and use within the West African Region, and I firmly believe this forum presents the opportunity to deepen our cooperation within the Region and Africa at large, to speak with one voice for our benefit at a time when energy issues are being renegotiated. As members of the West African community, we must understand our situations, properly identify our challenges, set our developmental goals, and determine the pathway for achieving them in a sustainable manner. This is a crucial time for us to collaborate as neighbours and work interdependently, leveraging on our cooperation and abundant energy resources to secure for ourselves and our children a sustainable energy market for socio-economic development of the Region. Africa must speak with one voice when it comes to energy and West Africa countries must see themselves as neighbours for economic and social and cultural development.”

Osinbajo, who thereafter officially declared open the event, said: “We must increase our investment in renewable energy.”

He noted that: “The importance of energy to human development cannot be over emphasised. Its relevance extends beyond socio-economic development to include security and sovereignty, foreign policy as well as international trade. The economic growth of nations is typically correlated with growth in energy consumption. It is clear that the survival of nations depends on the exploitation and utilisation of energy resources.

“At the same time, energy in the way it has been historically produced and consumed is a key driver of ecological challenges with important implications for the survival of our planet.”

Osinbajo added that: “The development and use of energy is dynamic and energy policies are therefore continuously changing driven by affordability, efficiency of energy resources, energy security, international cooperation and trade and pressing realities like climate change. Globally, we are committed to limiting the warming of our dear planet by limiting CO2 emissions which largely come from energy consumption. However, this must be achieved alongside rapid development particularly for African nations.”

Also speaking, the Ambassador of Spain to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Juan Ignacio Sell, stated that: “This gathering affords member countries to share ideas and create awareness on our quest to achieve the SDGs in West Africa.”

He however lamented that: “We are failing short of the target we set for renewable and green energy,” insisting that: “Energy poverty and energy security needs to be addressed.”

He said the EU would assist the region in infrastructure and capacity building.

The 7th Edition of the ECOWAS Sustainable Energy Forum (ESEF2022) by the ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Power Nigeria. ECREEE is a specialized agency of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) with a public mandate to promote sustainable energy markets in the ECOWAS region. The priority activities of the Centre include sustainable policy development, capacity building, knowledge management, advocacy, and investment promotion. ECREEE instituted the ECOWAS Sustainable Energy Forum (ESEF) in 2017 to support the investment and policy initiatives of ECOWAS Member States in the regional sustainable energy sector. ESEF has since become the must-to-attend energy event in West Africa, providing a veritable platform for networking and forging effective partnerships that will accelerate the implementation of priority energy projects and ensure transformative progress towards attaining the ECOWAS region’s sustainable energy objectives.

The Governor of Delta State and Vice Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, has celebrated with IDPs at the DESOPADEC Camp in Oleh.

The governor during his visit to the camp on Wednesday 19th October, made a promise of hosting a party to celebrate the love and cooperation among the people living in the camp and also in appreciation to God for the gift of life during this period of great discomfort.

In keeping to his promise of his Excellency, the camp administrator, Chief Prosper Edo and his team, organised a befitting atmosphere for the people to ease off the stress and have some moments of relaxation with food, drink and music.

Chief Prosper Edo, thanked the governor for providing a cow, drinks and music for the camp to enable them celebrate God’s goodness as a family during this period of flooding that a lot of people ordinarily would have lost hope, but the governor, being a compassionate leader showed love to victims of flood across the state and this has given the people more faith and hope in government.

The governor was represented by the Commissioner Bureau for Special Duties, Hon. Edema Johnbull. He thanked the people for their solidarity and oneness in ensuring that everything goes on smoothly in the camp.

Hon. Edema further charged them to cooperate with the camp administrators in ensuring that the existing unity and oneness that has made things easy for the state government in taking care of them is sustained during their stay in the camp.

High point of the celebration was dancing competition between children, youths, women and nursing mothers.

An Igbo teacher who was met at her duty post as early as 6am about two years ago when Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum paid an unscheduled visit is among the 24 primary school teachers allocated houses at the newly built quarters for teachers in the Northeast state.

Mrs Obiageri Mazi, who hails from Abia State and has been a teacher at Shehu Sanda Kyarimi 2 Primary School under Jere Local Government Education Authority for 31 years, was after the governor’s visit promoted from a class teacher to the rank of Assistant Headmistress as an executive reward for her punctuality.

Zulum, a University Professor, had visited the school around 6am as part of his unscheduled supervision and he was amazed that Mrs Obiageri was already at the school, that early, awaiting the arrival of her pupils.

The governor on the spot had given her N100,000 cash and approved her immediate promotion.

Obiageli was again rewarded when her name came up among the 24 school teachers allocated flats at a newly commissioned quarters built by Governor Babagana Zulum’s administration in Maiduguri.

The quarters was commissioned by President Buhari some weeks ago when he visited Maiduguri for the 2022 World Humanitarian Day.

The teachers quarters at Bulumkutu along airport road is one of over 600 capital projects delivered by Zulum.

Borno State Government allocated the fully furnished 24 units of the houses to Primary School Teachers from Maiduguri and Jere Local Education Authority (LEA) during a brief ceremony on Wednesday at the quarters.

Engr Lawan Abba Wakilbe, Borno State Commissioner for Education, while handing over the houses to beneficiaries, disclosed that Borno government has constructed similar edifices in Banki Town of Bama Local Government area and Mafa.

He also said Zulum’s administration will extend such projects to other Local Government Areas in order to provide accommodation for hardworking teachers in the LGAs.

The commissioner further added that beneficiaries were selected based on merit from different Schools within the vicinity of the quarters. He charged teachers to take good care of the facility as it is an institutional property.

Meanwhile, The Commissioner for Housing and Energy, Engr. Yuguda Vungas, whose ministry constructed the quarters, while handing over the keys to the Honourable Commissioner for Education Engr., Lawan Abba Wakilbe, for onward allocation to teachers disclosed that the houses consisted of 12 units each of fully furnished two bedrooms, a parlour, kitchen and two self contained toilets, while 12 are fully furnished one bedroom, a parlour, kitchen and toilet.

The Executive Chairman Teaching Service Board (TSB), Prof Suleiman Bello, Executive Chairman of State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) Prof. Bulama Kagu, Chairman Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), Borno State Comrade Jibrin Mohammed, immediate Deputy National Chairman NUT, Comrade Bulama Abiso, took turns to commend Prof Zulum’s polices and programmes in enhancing teachers’ welfare and the need to re-dedicate themselves to their duties.

Highlights of the occasion was the presentation of allocation letters to the beneficiaries.

Following the devastating effects of this year’s flood, the Delta state Government through various agencies have continued to reach out to victims sheltered at designated Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps across the state.

Wife of the state governor and Founder, 05 Initiative Dame Edith Okowa in continuation of her visitation exercise to affected families and communities, has presented various food items and relief materials to IDPs at Aboh, Burutu, Ewulu, Patani camps.

Speaking on Tuesday, with the flood victims who have also lost their businesses, at the Ewulu Mixed Grammar School Camp in Aniocha South local government area, Dame Okowa encouraged them with messages of hope and love.

She admonished the over one thousand, four hundred flood victims including children who were in the camp at the time of the visit, to make the best out of the situation, stressing that whatever God allowed to happen was for a purpose and it will turn around for their good.

The governor’s wife said the passion to care for the needy was the core mandate of the 05 Initiative, necessitating her visit to the various IDPs in the state with food and relief materials and urged them not to be dispaired by their present condition but be positive in their thoughts and actions.

Dame Okowa expressed the hope that the flood would recede in no distant time, to enable the flood victims return to their homes and start normal life again.

While encouraging the IDPs to remain calm as the state government was doing everything possible to ensure their well being, during and after the flood, the governor’s wife charged them to renew their relationship with God who alone could bring lasting solution to their predicament

Items donated by Dame Okowa and O5 Initiative to the four camps include, bags of rice, garri, beans, tubers of yam, palm oil plates, diapers and bags of soap.

OKOWANOMICS SERIES
Okowanomics Fact Sheet No. 8, OCTOBER-A 2022.

“Historic Upliftment of Riverine, Coastal and Creek Communities of Delta State” Part I – Unprecedented Development of Transport, Housing and Market Infrastructure”.

DELTA STATE JOB AND WEALTH CREATION BUREAU [DSJWCB] is pleased to publish the latest [new] edition of the twice-a-month Okowanomics Fact Sheet Series.

The purpose of this evidence-based serial publication is to continually inform and influence key stakeholders at the state and national levels regarding Governor Okowa’s outstanding governance achievements and exemplary leadership of Delta State.

This 8th edition is titled “Historic Upliftment of Riverine, Coastal and Creek Communities of Delta State” Part I – Unprecedented Development of Transport, Housing and Market Infrastructure”

Okowanomics Fact Sheets provide authoritative up-to-date data and statistics that can be cited and publicised, accordingly.

Please read, use and share the Okowanomics Fact Sheet No. 8, October-A 2022, attached as follows.

Thanks.

HISTORIC UPLIFTMENT OF  LIVING CONDITIONS IN THE RIVERINE, COASTAL AND CREEK COMMUNITIES OF DELTA STATE

PART I

UNPRECEDENTED DEVELOPMENT OF TRANSPORT, HOUSING AND MARKET INFRASTRUCTURE 

Okowanomics Fact Sheet No. 8, October-A, 2022

1.0  INTRODUCTION

Okowanomics Series is a semi-monthly [twice-a-month] bulletin of evidence-based “Fact Sheet” showing Governor Okowa’sspectacular achievements of job and wealth creation, development of infrastructure, urban renewal, transformation of education and health systems, peace and security, social harmonyand overall economic development. The Scorecard Series is a “book of chronicles” of Governor Okowa’s legacies and footprints in the geopolitical entity of Delta State. It is a tracker dashboard that mirrors real-time the unique developmental strides in Delta State under the leadership of Governor Okowa. 

The Series is developed and published by Delta State Job & Wealth Creation Bureau, using verified information and data from the relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs). 

2.0   THE CONCEPT OF OKOWANOMICS

Okowanonics is the brand identity representing the gamut of Governor Okowa’s political shrewdness, developmental philosophy and governance ideology defined by his people-centred policies, mission-oriented approach, economic prudenceand social intelligence.

Underlying Okowanomics is Governor Okowa’s exceptional  assortment  of  personality   and character

virtues notably critical thinking, clear foresight, sound planning, clever coordination, effective execution, humility, self-discipline, people-skills and executive intelligence. These sterling qualities and attributes are manifest in the excellent leadership and exemplary governance of Delta State from 29^th of May 2015 to date.

3.0   FOCUS OF 8^TH EDITION 

Okowanomics Fact Sheet No. 8 spotlights Governor Okowa’shistoric upliftment of living conditions in the riverine, coastal and creek communities of Delta State through the unprecedented development of transport, housing facilities and market infrastructure. 

4.0  THE RIVERINE, CREEK AND COASTAL 

       FEATURES OF DELTA STATE 

Given its location, Delta State has a unique geo-ecological landscape. On its western boundary, the State has a long Atlantic Ocean coastline of about 163 km. More than one third of its total area of 18,050 square kilometres consists of natural water bodies such as rivers, streams, tributaries, creeks, coastal swamps and estuaries. This geographical feature has both advantages and disadvantages for the affected communities and the entire State.

On the one hand, the main advantages of the state’s geography relate to the huge potentials for the development of marine economy, aquaculture, artisanal fishing and maritime transport. The State has a rare quadruplet of seaports along the Niger Delta coastline in the port towns of Warri, Sapele, Koko and Burutuand two critical national economic assets – crude oil terminals at Escravos and Forcados. On the other hand, the geospatial and topographical peculiarities of the riverine, coastal and creek communities pose tremendous constraints to their infrastructural, physical and economic development. 

The constraints of infrastructural physical and economic development of these communities imply huge additional project construction costs and highly difficult transport logistics to deliver on health and education facilities, housing and transport infrastructure. Overcoming this geospatial challenge requires strong political will, sound planning, cost effectiveness and faithful execution of projects. These are the qualities and virtues which His Excellency, Governor of Delta State, has brought to bear in the historic transformation of the living conditions and welfare of communities and people of the state’s riverine, coastal and creek communities. 

The historic transformation of these riverine, coastal and creek communities is manifest in the assortment of development projects that have either been completed or ongoing, from 2015 to date. The development projects include roads, bridges, schools, health centres, housing, markets and support for economic activities. These projects have had historic impact in uplifting the living conditions, people’s welfare and development prospects in these communities.

5.0   DEVELOPMENT OF ROADS AND BRIDGES [COMPLETED AND ONGOING]

Below is a sample of roads and bridges [completed and ongoing] in the riverine, creek and coastal communities of the state.

• Trans Warri-Ode-Itsekiri bridge and access roads in Warri South LGA.

• Town [internal] roads in Okerenkoko, Ogidigben, Gbaramatu, Benikrukru and Kunukunuma in Warri South-West LGA. 

• Ogulagha-Youbebe-Biniebiama road, Obotobo-Sekebolou-Yokori road and town [internal] roads of Ogbobagbene, Egodo-Agbodobiri in Burutu LGA.  

• Town [internal roads] in Ogbeinama, Esama, Ekamita, Kpakiama and other communities in Bomadi LGA. 

• Kwale-Beneku bridge across Ndokwa East and Ndokwa West LGAs., Beneku access roads and internal roads at Ushie and Ashaka in Ndokwa East LGA.

• Ikpide-Irri and Aviara access road, Idheze Emede ring road and other internal roads in Isoko South LGA.

• Oko Amakom/Oko Obiokpu road in Oshimili South LGA.

• Ayakoromor bridge across River Forcados and Oviri-Olomu/Egodor road across Ughelli South and Burutu LGAs.

• Access road to Uduophori, Kabowei road and Aghogho road in Odorubu, Patani LGA.

6.0   DEVELOPMENT OF JETTIES, HOUSING 

       AND MARKET FACILITIES

• Ogheye Ultra-Modern Floating Market, Warri North LGA.

• Landing concrete jetties at Naifor, Eniegbone, Salvation city and Ajuju in Warri South-West LGA.

• Development of Housing Units in Okerenkoko, Warri South-West LGA.

7.0​CONCLUSION

The historic transformation of living conditions in the riverine, coastal and creek communities of Delta state through unprecedented development of roads, water transport facilities,health centres/hospitals, educational facilities and market facilities is the result of Okowanomics. The development landmarks have been achieved by strong political will, thorough planning, astute resource management, people-centred approachand faithful execution, which are among the defining elements of Okowanomics. 

Successful targeting of development interventions in the riverine, coastal and creek communities of Delta State is a policy model that should be emulated by states with similar geo-ecological conditions. Also, it presents important policy lessons for the federal government to improve living conditions in Nigeria’s riverine, coastal and creek communities.

We gratefully acknowledge the data and information provided by Ministry of Works, Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Housing and Ministry of Trade & Investment.

As part of spirited efforts by government, corporate bodies and individuals to support victims sacked by the present flooding across the country, wife of Delta Governor, Dame Edith Okowa has visited the internally displaced persons camps at Ogbe-Afor and Onneh Primary Schools in Oshimili South local government area.

Dame Okowa in company of her O5 Initiative Team on Friday, October 14, 2022, presented food items and other relief materials to the over 140 displaced persons in the camps.

She urged the families whose houses, businesses and farms have been destroyed by the ravaging flood, to see reasons to thank God for the gift of life, stressing that all hope were not lost, as government would leave no stone unturned in ensuring that they were adequately catered for.

Dame Okowa said in times of afflictions and trouble, God was closer to his people more than they could imagine as he was concerned about their wellbeing.

While calling on well meaning individuals and cooperate bodies to send relief materials to IDP camps in the state, the governor’s wife advised parents in the camp to live in harmony with one another and prayed God to comfort them.

She charged youth and teenagers to shun all forms of immoralities and be law abiding in the camp.

Dame Okowa disclosed that government would visit all the IDP camps in the state with adequate provisions.

Items donated includes, tubers of yam, bags of rice, beans, garri, cooking oil, tomatoes and mosquito nets.

Present at visit were the Director General Capital Territory Development Agency Hon. Joan Onyemaechi, Director General of the 05 initiative and Permanent Secretary Women Affairs and Social Community Development, Mrs. Oghenekewve Agas, and the former Commissioner for Humanitarian and Community Support Services, Barrister Bridget Anyafulu.