Delta Commissioner for Works (Rural and Riverine Roads), Mr Charles Aniagwu, has said that Gov. Sheriff Oborevwori was a prudent manager of state resources.
The Commissioner stated this when the executives and members of the Asaba Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) visited him on Wednesday in Asaba.
He said that given the inflationary rate in the country, that the governor was careful with spending the state fund to ensure that the contractors and the people have full benefit from the available resources accruing to the state.
“Let me first appreciate you for the support I received for the eight years that I worked with you under Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa’s administration both as Chief Press Secretary and Commissioner for Information.
“Many a time, I hear people say that I was successful in performing those two roles, but for me, I know that the larger part of the success came from the support I got from you, the journalists.
“I nerve had any cause to worry or begin to refute anything because you reported me correctly.
“Secondly, you never engage in any clandestine way to undermine what we did as an administration then.
He urged journalists to effectively support the Gov. Oborevwori administration with same vigor, commitment with which they supported the immediate past government of Gov. Okowa.
He enjoined journalists to also give the current Commissioner for Information, Dr Ifeanyi Osuoza the same support.
According to him, Oborevwori’s administration is still putting things in order to enable it takeoff fully.
” I will still plead with you to have patient with us as an administration. You know there are lots of things that we are trying to put together to fully take off.
“Even yesterday, some appointments were being announced, which means this government is still being formed.
” There are lots of projects that we are handling, and policies that are being churned out.
“The governor is also being careful because there has been lots of changes in terms of our economy as a nation from when he took over and now,” Aniagwu said.
He said that Oborevwori does not want a situation where he goes ahead to push money out there and it fell on unfertile ground.
“So, he is being careful in terms of application of resources, others who do not understand may think that we are being slow, no.
“Those of us who are quite integral in the administration understand that we needed to be careful so that any fund that we spend, will give Deltans value for their money,” Aniagwu said.
The commissioner noted that there was need for Oborevwori to understudy what he met and the impact of the present fluctuation of our currency on ongoing projects and intended projects.
“This is because if you do not have the clear understanding, there is the tendency that some persons who are either businessmen or would want to take advantage of the situation.
“The governor being one who have value for money, does not want to fall into that trap,” he said.
Aniagwu assures that in spite of the challenges, there were lots of activities all round the state, adding that activities to mark the Oborevwori’s one year in office were in top gear and under his purview as Commissioner for Works.
“Subject to the approval of His Excellency, by next week, we will begin inauguration of some projects across the 25 local government areas.
“Some are at the verge of being completed, some have been completed while some are being initiated but on the whole, every local government in Delta will have a fair share of this administration.
“I can confidently say that Oborevwori is determined to make lots of difference across the length and breadth of the state,” he said.
Aniagwu, who lectured journalists on what it takes to build a road in Delta, said is costs more to build a kilometer of road in the region than certain places in the country.
He tasks journalists to put facts straight before going to press by asking the right questions, while assuring journalists of government support.
Earlier, the Chairman, Asaba Correspondents’ Chapel, Comrade Ifeanyi Olannye, said that the visit was to felicitate with the commissioner on his appointment as Commissioner for Works; Rural and Riverine Roads.
He also urged the Commissioner to sustain the cordial relationship with journalists while asking government continued partnership to deepen the development in the state in line with the MORE Agenda of the Gov. Oborevwori led administration.
“As a former Chief Press Secretary and Commissioner for Information under Gov. Okowa, you related well with journalists and you performed creditably.
“We are sure that as a Commissioner for Works: Rural and Riverine Roads, in this administration, we are sure that you will deliver creditable,” Olannye said.
