3 months ago
21 ARTICLE AD
The governor of Delta State, Sheriff Oborevwori, on Tuesday, said that the state was growing steadily on all economic development indicators, hence emerging as a powerhouse in the comity of states in Nigeria.
Oborevwori stated this in his remarks at a thanksgiving service to mark the 33rd anniversary of the state’s creation at the Government House Chapel, Asaba.
He said, “Judging by all the indices of development, the state occupies a pride of place in the Nigerian federation. Both locally and internationally, our people are renowned for their entrepreneurial drive, passion and ingenuity.
“In the past 15 months, we have demonstrated our resolve to keep Delta State ahead on all indices of social and economic development.”
But a chieftain of the opposition Delta State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, Prof Leroy Edozien lamented the level of development in the state after 33 years of existence.
Speaking to South-South PUNCH on Tuesday, Edozien said the progress made by the state in 33 years has to be measured against the yardstick of the resources that it had received.
He said, “When we put the money Delta had received in context, you will be sad over the level of development.
“Where are the mega industries? Where is the agricultural regulation? In all our wetlands, where is the massive rice plantation? In our educational system, we still have children sitting on the floor in classrooms.
“We still have lapidated buildings in all schools, we still have a lot of youths doing nothing but dwelling in drugs.”
“Yes, some progress has been made: we have a new Secretariat, new ministries ever before, additional universities, Asaba-Ugheli road that linked the two major cities that have not been completed.
“Above all, we haven’t made much progress in terms of social cohesion; the various ethnicities in Delta still see themselves as ethnic group rather than as Deltans.
“I would have loved that after 33 years, our social capital should be more than what it is today. Look at how fast Dubai, Kenya, and China among others develop; all those things were achieved in less than 33 years
“We could have gone far in Delta, given the fat allocation we received every month from the federation account, but the reverse is the case.”
