The President, Muhammadu Buhari has approved the release of
N80billion for the reconstruction of the failed Sapele-Benin road and the
Amukpe-Agbor-Uromi road.
This was disclosed on Monday by the Deputy President of the
Senate and APC governorship candidate in Delta, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, during
a meeting with members of the Christian Council of Nigeria, which held in
Sapele.
Omo-Agege said that as soon as he became deputy president of
the Senate, he requested from Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, to know
the status of the road all the way from Petroleum Training Institute to Agbor.
He said this was because he knew the contract had been
awarded previously and hence requested for a review so he could put it in the
Niger Delta Development Commission budget.
Omo-Agege however explained that “because Okowa felt he
would not get the political credit, the issue died.”
He also noted that recently, with the reconstitution of the
NDDC board, Buhari ordered that N500billion of the commission that was frozen
be released for development projects and the sum of N80billion was approved
when he pleaded with the President to consider the Sapele-Benin road and the
Amukpe-Agbor road.
He also said it would be insanity to repeat the same thing
over again and expect different results adding that Okowa has failed to develop
Delta State.
He assured that if elected governor he would create an
enabling environment for companies that have left Delta State as a result of
insecurity and other factors to return.
He said, “When I become governor in May 29, 2023 I will not
wait for the Federal Government before constructing strategic roads in Delta
and ensuring the implementation of the local content law so as to provide job
opportunities for our youths.”
Omo-Agege used the forum to clarify the issue of the
Muslim-Muslim ticket of the APC presidential and vice presidential candidates
saying, “we want power for development and progress. That’s what we use power
for.”
He spoke further, “Tinubu has a wife who is a Pastor and if
he could not islamise his wife, how would he be able to islamise other Nigerians?
“I believe that after eight years of Buhari it is only fair
and equitable for power to move to the South. I put all my strength into it.
Governors of the APC supported it. All governors of Southern Nigeria supported
it, met and signed a communique in Asaba. Okowa read the communique.
“But no sooner had that been done, during the PDP national
congress, Okowa asked delegates of Delta to vote for a northerner. Yet, he is
the one crying about a Muslim-Muslim ticket. The same Okowa that said take the
presidency back to the North, just give me vice president?
“The focus should be who can bring development to our
people. Okowa who is a Christian has he changed anything, are Deltans not
crying?”
Senator Omo-Agege also dismissed the views in some quarters
that because his father, the late Justice James Omo-Agege was an adherent of
African Traditional Religion, specifically the Urhobo “Igbe” movement , he was
also one.
He said while the Constitution of Nigeria guarantees freedom
of religion and to that extent, he could not dictate the religious choices of
his father, so too, his father could not dictate his own personal choice of
religion. “As a result of this, all my siblings and I are devout christians of
the Catholic faith. Christianity is a conscious choice for us,” he explained.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Christian Council of Nigeria,
Delta State chapter, Rev Dr Jonathan Iwhiwhu, highlighted the contribution of
the Church to development and called for assistance in terms of construction of
a secretariat and official bus.
He had drawn Omo-Agege’s attention to the deplorable
Sapele-Benin road and the Amukpe-Agbor-Uromi road. He pleaded that policies
that negatively impact on the economic ventures of the church such as schools
should be moderated if he becomes governor.
Iwhiwhu also called for provision of job opportunities for
the youths of the church as a reward for the church’s support for his election
as governor.
The CCN is comprised of Baptist, Anglican, Methodist, African Church and the Church of the Lord (Aladura) spread across the 25 local government areas of Delta State.
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