By Ovasa Ogaga,
The Delta State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has berated the State Government over poor governance, unfinished projects, and questionable investments, which they say have kept the state below average in the development index.
This is in response to a press briefing led by the Commissioner of Works, Mr Charles Aniagwu, who is currently overseeing the Ministry of Information. This reshuffle comes after Dr Ifeanyi Osuoza was reassigned to the role of Commissioner for Special Duties at the Government House in Asaba over allegations of underperformance.
Barr Valentine Onojeghuo, the APC's State Publicity Secretary, in a press statement, dismissed the press briefing as a futile attempt to rehabilitate the image of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori's administration. "It was an exercise in superficiality that only underscored the administration’s glaring failures," he said.
Onojeghuo highlighted the administration’s poor performance in addressing the State's infrastructural needs despite receiving over N1.1 trillion naira in federal allocations during its 19 months in office.
"The briefing was a disaster. The governor can only point to a few scattered projects—four or five roads in Delta North, two in Delta Central, and none in Delta South.
This is disgraceful. Mr Aniagwu was brought in to whitewash the administration’s failures, something his predecessor could not accomplish," he remarked.
The APC spokesperson also frowned at the government’s inability to complete the 100-kilometre Ughelli-Asaba dual carriageway, a project that has dragged on for 17 years, a project that has assumed the status of "Abiku", as every succeeding PDP government has turned to its cash cow.
"Aniagwu's mention of this road is absurd. How does it take over 17 years to complete 100 kilometres of road, especially with the resources Delta State has? If anything, the PDP-led governments in Delta should be in the Guinness World Records for this shameful delay and the monumental fraud associated with this project," he said.
Onojeghuo also raised alarms over the State government’s investments in UTM LNG, a company involved in natural gas exploitation. He noted that the company is under investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), citing alleged financial mismanagement tied to former Governor Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa.
"Dr Okowa, who is under EFCC investigation for misappropriating over N1.3 trillion of revenue from the 13% derivation funds, reportedly funnelled billions into this project under dubious circumstances. Now, Aniagwu claims that Oborevwori’s administration is following the same path, investing in UTM LNG, which is under scrutiny for fraud. Worse still, the project is being proposed for Akwa Ibom, not Delta. How will this benefit Deltans in terms of revenue or job creation if it’s based in another State?" he questioned.
Onojeghuo further criticized the administration’s claim of reducing Delta’s debt stock by 200 billion naira, accusing Governor Oborevwori of prioritizing debt repayment over addressing the State's infrastructural challenges.
"Deltans remember the viral video of Senator Ned Nwoko confronting the governor about funding the Okpai power generation plant, a project that could transform economic activities in Delta North. The governor outright refused, claiming he had to service Okowa's questionable loans, which are now under EFCC investigation. It’s clear that this administration is more concerned with repaying debt than improving the lives of Deltans."
The APC reiterated its call for greater transparency and accountability from the Oborevwori administration, urging Deltans to demand better governance.
