By Fred Edoreh
In less than one month in office, Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori has been all over the three senatorial districts to inspect various projects.
What stands out though is not merely the tour but the mind with which he embarked on it.
He revealed his heart at the inspection of the Ibuzor Road, Asaba, when he said his administration is not in a hurry to commission projects but to ensure that the projects are executed to specification and in enduringly high quality standards.
At the inspection of the ongoing rehabilitation of the Warri Township Stadium, he demonstrated this insistence.
“l am not too satisfied with what the contractor has done. We want the best for Warri and this is the Warri City Stadium,” he declared.
“The contractor said what they are doing is according to the scope of the contract awarded to them. We are going to look at the contract and see what can be done to ensure speedy and quality delivery. Some of the areas that are not properly scoped will be re-scoped.”
At Ughelli, he also declared that it is a “no no” to have a motor park at the junction with people trading on the expressway.
“That is not acceptable at all. Trading on the road is (also) not acceptable. You can see the risk involved in trading on the express road.”
Revealing that his administration has a project plan to re-organise the Otovwodo Junction in Ughelli, he accordingly ordered the relocation of the “Delta Appreciate Park” but, as a man of the people, he has made sure that the relocation is to be done with a consideration for the continuity and sustenance of the people’s businesses and livelihoods.
So, before the pronouncement, he had engaged the Ovie of Ughelli and the Local Government Chairman with a view to provide new sites for the park and the traders.
“There is somewhere we have prepared for them and we have issue of access road but I have also directed the Ministry of Works to come up with a proposal to enable us have access road to the new market,” he assured.
This is simply the humane way to govern.
Oborevwori’s words and actions speak to, not just a disposition to seek value for money and establish business unusual, but to a deep personal commitment towards providing the best for his people, at the end of which they can proudly proclaim: “This is Delta.”
However, the people must also accept some “no nos” on their part, to enable the government deliver on its vision.
One of such instances emerged at the inspection of the Storm Water Drainage Project in Warri, Effurun and environs.
It was discovered that many people had built houses and offices on water channels which posed difficulties for the contractors currently working to fully resolve the problem of flooding in the area before the rehabilitation of the city inner roads.
“On phase one of the project, there are a lot of buildings on the water ways,” Oborevwori lamented.
“l have called on the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Housing and Works to liaise with the Ministry of Lands to see how those buildings on water ways can be brought down to enable the construction firm have unfettered access to do their work.”
This is simply the way to go because it takes two to tango, and as it is said, we can not want omelette and not want to break eggs.
It is not unexpected that at the commencement of the demolition of the channel-blocking properties, we would have all sorts of claims but we need to be clear about what we want: A new, true and proud Delta must act in new ways.
That is what Sheriff represents.
