Victor Efeizomor
The political class has come to be associated with negative tendencies like, deceit, exploitation, scandal, fraud, venality, treachery and corruption. This makes members of this elite group get to be regarded with disdain, suspicious and scorn in some quarters.
The general presumption is that politicians hardly run through political office and public service without been accused of one form of negativity or abandoning the very essence for which they were elected.
It is also a common perception that Nigerian political leaders are drawn to power and political offices mostly because of what they stand to gain for themselves and their close family and friends.
However, on the other side, there are some who have etched their name on the hall of fame and held their head up high through their track records of outstanding achievements and contributions to humanity and their efforts towards enhancing socio- political and economic development of the society.
These groups of decent and principled politicians, share a common interest, desire and ideology of integrity , striving to earn the status of statesman, by contributing their quarter to the advancement of humanity and transforming the society for the betterment of mankind.
It is on this premise that the United Nations (UN) General Assembly beamed its search light on the African continent, to seek for men and women of honor and uprightness, to bestow the prestigious Laurie of the Nelson Mandela Nelson Mandel leadership Prize, in recognition of the humility of Nelson Mandela.
According to the UN , “ The aim of the Prize is to recognize the achievements of those who dedicated their lives to the service of humanity, by promoting the purposes and principles of the United Nations while honouring and paying homage to Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela’s extraordinary life and legacy of reconciliation, political transition and social transformation”
It is in the light of this that the United Nation through independent investigation found His Excellency, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa fit and proper to get the prize having painstakingly considered his track records and developmental policies and economic politics.
It is often said that the margin of victory in life can sometime be measured in inches. No one can doubt the political significance of His Excellency; Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa in Nigeria and in Delta State in particular. One can say without any fear of contradiction that, Governor Okowa is a force to be reckoned with and has remained the singular most important political factor with regards to the dynamics of politics and administration .
Presenting the award to Governor Okowa a fortnight ago, Ambassador Joseph Rankin, Governor General for Africa, International Commission of Diplomatic Relations, Human Rights and Peace Ambassador for the African Region – International Human Rights Commission, in a brief but impressive ceremony which was attended by the wife of the Governor, Dame Edith Okowa and other top government functionaries at the Government House, Asaba, said he was excited over Governor Okowa ‘s prodigious pedigree.
According to Ambassador Rankin, “nominees for the award must have made substantial and long-term contributions in furtherance of civil rights, civil liberties, human rights on the African continent,” he said, asserting, “the Mandela Medal is awarded to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the advancement of human rights in Africa; the African region headquarters of the International Human Rights Commission, Geneva, Switzerland has established this award to honor and give public recognition to an individual that has made an exceptional contribution to the advancement of human rights on the African continent.”
While noting that “the Mandela Medal is the pinnacle of human rights recognition in Africa,” the Ambassador disclosed, “we are in Asaba city, the capital of Delta State in Nigeria to honour and commend a great achiever who has made an outstanding contribution to the promotion and protection of the human rights embodied in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and in other United Nation’s Human Rights instruments.”
He added that the Governor was carefully selected by a special committee comprising the General Assembly members of the IHRC and the Economic and Social Council of the International Commission of Diplomatic Relations, Human Rights and Peace, noting that the creation of job opportunities through skill acquisition programme of the state government that will make the beneficiaries millionaires within a decade was laudable.
The Ambassador also, observed that apart from job creation which the Governor Okowa administration has done very well through the Job Creation Office, Governor Okowa’s administration had also, put structures in place to ensure that the rights of the citizens are protected.
Significantly, the prize did not come as a surprise to many who are abreast with the anticident and protigious track records of Governor Okowa in the area of administration and politics just as it as been chorused that the award would no doubt spore him to greater challenges as he has set out a task for himself to fight for the less privilege and the defenseless in the society.
Since assuming office as the executive governor of Delta State, Dr. Okowa has left no one in doubt as to his preparedness to tackle, poverty, upgrade infrastructure and improve on human capital development and to grow the economy of the state which motivated him to seek power.
In essence, Governor Okowa has had to take drastic measures to reposition the state on the part of economic growth , away from the business as usual attitude to a more accountable and result oriented policy direction, away from the days when opulence is displayed in political leadership in the face of wanton deprivation of the less privileged masses.
A section of the population would want to say ‘why is Governor Okowa not bringing out money for the people to enjoy’ but the big question is , how do you go about throwing big parties of opulence and grandeur when the state is reeling in infrastructural decay, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is at its lowest , while the allocation from the Federation is at all-time low , unable to take off the overhead coast and salaries remain unpaid.
Gone are the days when opulence is displayed in governance as the resources are grossly inadequate to meet the most basic needs of the people, putting the ingenuity of Governor Okowa’s to task on probity , prudency and resourcefulness in governance.
In all of this, it is proper to assert that Governor Okowa is work in progress and this must have informed the decision United Nation’s assessment team to have him as their preferred choice for the prestigious Nelson Mandela leadership Prize.
It is instructive to note that since the pas two year of the Governor Okowwa’s administration, no less that 300 kilometers of roads have been constructed across the state.
Available statistics indicates that no less than 22 roads and drains of various kilometers and lengths have been construction, reconstruction and expanded across the state while a total of about 56 roads and drains, covering about 362.41 kilometers and 160.36 lengths respectively are currently on-going in the state. The Riverian areas of the state are also receiving attention.
Governor Okowas resourcefulness enabled the growth of the State IGR to 68.53 percent growth within the period of June 2015 to September 2016 in spite of a contraction in tax due to militancy in the creeks, while the budget performance stood at 68.58 percent despite the hash operating economic environment, while the prospects for further growth is very bright.
Realizing the need to create jobs for the youths and grow the private sector through micro credit support, Governor Okowa in 2015, formulated two programmes for the youths, the Skill Training and Entrepreneurship Programme(STEP) and Youth Agricultural Entrepreneurs Programme( YAGEP). So far, the state government has created no fewer than 17,173 direct and indirect jobs through the job creation scheme.
The state government has put in place adequate plans to ensure food security through the empowerment of existing farmers and encouraging new entrants into agriculture through ; oil palm development programme , rice production fisheries, CBN anchor borrowers scheme, loan recovery, goat production among others.
Superficially, over 5,000 youths are currently been engaged in aquaculture as the sum of about N46million was approved for this programme. In the area of rice production, the state government has approved N51 million to set in motion a rice production programme to promote all season rice production in the state.
In the education sector, Governor Okowa has continued to reposition the technical and vocational education sector. Already, a Bill was sent to the Delta State House of Assembly for the establishment of Technical and Vocational Education Board.
Significantly, Governor Okowa has repositioned seven existing technical collages for accelerated technological growth and entrepreneurial education. So far, the sum of over N2billion has been expended on infrastructural development and equipment purchase for the infrastructural upgrade of Agbor, Ofagbe and Sapele technical collages, while work are ongoing at Issele-uku, Ogor and Utagba-Ogbe technical collages.
Under the universal basic education, 1376 class rooms have been constructed and renovated , 12,400 desks provided, 327 classroom blocks renovated , 5558 teachers furniture’s have been provided , 48,330 student furniture’s also provided , 58 new primary and nursery schools have also been licensed to operate.
In the health sector, Governor Okowa established the Delta State Health Contributory Fund, to regulate, implement and monitor the Health Insurance Scheme, while 4312 pregnant women, 3433 children are already registered and accessing the treatment through the health commission.
The state government has also renovated , equipped , furnished and purchased brand new ambulance for the upgrading of cottage hospitals in , Abavo, Warri, Patani, Agbor to full status of an ultra-modern standard general hospital.
In his typical modesty, Governor Okowa has remained a silent achiever who prefers to allow his achievements speak for him; hence he was spotted and singled out by the eagle eye of the United Nation for the presentation of the prestigious Nelson Mandela Prize for leadership.
Prince Victor Efeizomor is Print Media Assistant to Governor Okowa
