Gov. Oborevwori Championing Community Development In Delta, Nigeria-Says Dr. Agbolayah
The United Nations defines community development as “a process where community members come together to take collective action and generate solutions to common problems.”
It is a broad concept, applied to the practices of civic leaders, activists, involved citizens, and professionals to improve various aspects of communities, typically aiming to build stronger and more resilient local communities.
Community development is also understood as a professional discipline, and is defined by the International Association for Community Development as “a practice-based profession and an academic discipline that promotes participative democracy, sustainable development, rights, economic opportunity, equality and social justice, through the organisation, education and empowerment of people within their communities, whether these be of locality, identity or interest, in urban and rural settings”. Community development seeks to empower individuals and groups of people with the skills they need to effect change within their communities.
In community development as a practice, Community developers must understand both how to work with individuals and how to affect communities’ positions within the context of larger social institutions, and all those have been the obvious character of His Excellency the Governor of Delta State, Rt. Hon. (Elder) Sheriff Francis Orowedor Oborevwori. Should I say it’s inbuilt in his system?
In less than two years at the helm of affairs as Governor of Delta State, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori has been described as a “Champion of Community Development in Nigeria”.
Special Adviser to the Governor on Community Development, Amb. Dr. Toyin Orighomisan Agbolayah JP, made the assertion while giving details of what looked like Oborevwori’s scorecard in less than two years in his administration.
According to Dr. Toyin Agbolayah, the evidence of Governor Oborevwori’s commitment and determination to delivering his MORE Agenda is in the leaps of all Deltans, citing numerous visible achievements.
The Special Adviser, revealed Governor Sheriff Oborevwori since assumption of office in May 2023 up and until now, has been working round the clock to fulfill his electioneering campaigns promises as encapsulated in his MORE Agenda; Meaningful development, Opportunity for all, Realistic reforms, Enhanced peace and security (M.O.R.E).
Upon assumption of office, the Governor declared: “Elections are over, I am governor for all Deltans irrespective of political affiliation, ethnic nationality or religious background.” This declaration corroborates his street credibility and excessive local content nature that spiced his landslide victory at the polls.
Working on the development blueprint captured in his MORE programmes aimed at Advancing Delta, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori immediately rolled out plans for the overall development of Delta State, and awarded a N78billion contract to construction giant, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, for the three mega projects of flyovers, road expansions, and pedestrian bridges at DSC Roundabout, PTI junction, Effurun Roundabout and Enerhen junction up to Marine Gate, as well as Storm Water Tunnel projects in Delta Central, Delta North and Delta South Senatorial Districts.
The Ughelli via Ozoro to Asaba dualization road project was his next port of call. He inspected the project and gave the contractors a firm marching order backed by resources to speed up work and complete the project. It’s worthy of note that the project has been completed and being used by all.
The Storm water tunnels in Ika North East and environ, some roads and bridges in and around Delta North Senatorial Districts, road construction projects in riverine communities, as well as the transformation of Warri Township Stadium to a world class sports facility are in progress. Aside numerous road projects, Street lights are also back in full gear, and Governor Oborevwori will stop at nothing to light up Delta.
The governor’s bullish construction of roads and bridges in the state including riverine communities has not only helped to reduce infrastructure deficit as well as encourage commuting and movement of goods and services across the state, but has also remained a reference point in infrastructural development in the history of the multi-city state .This coupled with the wide-ranging initiatives in job and wealth creation especially among the youths galvanised activities in the non-oil sectors.
In terms of Human Capital Development, the Governor Oborevwori’s led government has empowered over 250,000 Deltans thus far through numerous programs aimed at uplifting the living standards of her people.
While noting that the administration of Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori had placed premium priority on the living conditions of Deltans especially with the dwindling purchasing power faced across the country, Dr. Toyin Agbolayah said the state government is doing more to ensure that living conditions are improved.
He added that with the well over 1,300 kms of road being constructed across the state, inter communal trade had improved among rural dwellers and traders with more to be done in the coming year.
Agbolayah, going forward, likened Oborevwori’s 19 months in office to 6 years, stressing that what the Governor has achieved in 19 months is what would have taken some other leaders 6 years to achieve.
Governor Okowa’s peerless stride in infrastructure development since assumption of office has continued to draw top politicians and thought leaders in the nation to Delta State to perform commissioning ceremonies or flag-off of projects, including the gigantic High Court complex; Nigerian Maritime University lecture hall in Okerenkoko and a host of other completed projects.
Before now, the state executive council gave approval for numerous Internal roads across oil producing and riverine communities, which includes the reconstruction of Ohoror-Bomadi Road; construction of Olomoro-Igbide Road in Isoko South LGA; construction of Emevor-Ivrogbo-Orogun Road Phase 2; Otekpo Road in Ellu and Idumu-Etiti Street with a spur to market Road, Owere-Olubo; The rehabilitation and asphalt overlay of failed sections of NNPC Housing Complex Road, Uvwie Local Government Area; Ekeye-Ovedhe close in Okumagba Layout, Warri; General Hospital Road, Oghara in Ethiope West Local Government Area; Old Sapele/Warri Road from Amukpe Junction to Ikwuehu, with a spur to Ayemidejor Close in Sapele Local Government Area, and Orerokpe-Okulohor-Oviri Road; and Osubi- Okuokoko road and environs, Phase 1; Approval for the purchase of two Computerised Tomography (CT) scanning machines, one each for the Central Hospital, Warri, and the Delta State University Teaching Hospital (DELSUTH), Oghara and so many laudable ongoing projects.
It’s worthy of note that Governor Sheriff Oborevwori has restructured the state’s public service, approving payments for public personnel and retirees, as well as providing ex-gratia stipends for civil servants.
He has also invested in employee development, allocating funds for housing and vehicle loans, employing new teaching and non-teaching staffs to address labor shortages across Delta.
In addition, Governor Oborevwori stands out among first governors to implement and pay the new minimum wage to Delta workers. He also scaled up the Delta COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (D-CARES) Programme, increasing the number of beneficiaries by 205%.
Indeed, Governor Oborevwori’s commitment to the people of Delta State is evident in his policies and initiatives, which are focused on achieving strategic wealth creation, meaningful peacebuilding, agriculture and industrialization, relevant health and educational policies, and transformed environment through urban renewal.
The visionary leadership of governor Oborevwori is no longer in doubt. His detractors and political rivals are already amazed, and wondering how he has been able to execute so many projects, paid salaries as at when due, paid contractors and yet did not borrow a penny from any financial institution in Nigeria or anywhere in the world.
Love or hate governor Oborevwori, he stands out as a pragmatic leader with clear vision, foresight and political willpower to achieve and surpass his electioneering campaigns promises. His social contract with Deltans is sacred and sacrosanct.
It’s safe to say that His Excellency, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori has championed community development in Delta and across the nation, Nigeria.
