Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, has said the past one year of his administration has been a remarkable story of promises made and kept, assuring that better days lay ahead of Deltans in the second year of his administration.
Oborevwori, at a Praise and Worship Concert held at the Dome Event Center, Asaba, to mark the day, urged the people to expect more and brace up for an exciting adventure in his administration’s drive for the transformational development of the state.
The Governor said his administration had kept faith with his promises to Deltans through his MORE agenda in the last one year, adding that his administration was already fulfilling his promise to restore the lost glory of Warri and environs with the engagement of construction giant, Julius Berger, for the construction of three flyovers and a Cloverleaf, Interchange in the twin cities of Warri and Effurun.
He said the State Executive Council had terminated the contract for the Warri Township Stadium, which he pointed out would soon be re-awarded to a more competent firm to give Deltans a world -class stadium.
“I have kept faith with the people of Delta State. The fair, objective, and realistic way to judge political leaders is by evaluating them by the promises they make while running for office.
“I promised, while seeking your support during the electioneering campaign, that I will urgently address the issues of unpaid promotion arrears to both serving and retired state public servants and the protracted issue of pension liabilities in the local governments.
“Within three months of assuming office, I fulfilled these promises. Regarding the promotion arrears, we paid over N5.5 billion to 23,887 serving and retired public servants, along with the reinstatement as well as remuneration of promotion arrears for 362 retired officers.
“To the glory of God, the thorny issue of unpaid local government pensions was speedily resolved as promised. My administration helped to secure legislative approval for the local governments to obtain a N40 billion bank loan to enable them liquidate their backlog of pension liabilities.
“The loan, which is guaranteed by the state government, is payable over a five-year period, and is being deducted from the accounts of the local government councils.
“It is worthy of note that, as part of our administration’s desire to fast-track the rebuilding of the city of Warri and environs, we have also completed the reconstruction of Upper and Lower Erejuwa and the Esisi road corridor, even as work on the other adjoining streets is progressing as scheduled.
“When these projects are fully completed, they will radically change the landscape of Warri and environs, while tackling the perennial problems of traffic congestion in the axis”, he said.
On security, he said Delta was adjudged to be the safest state for oil and gas investments in Nigeria in 2024 at an award ceremony sponsored by the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Abuja, and pledged to continue to partner security agencies to guarantee the continued safety of lives and property of Deltans.
In the area of social welfare, Governor Oborevwori said thousands of Deltans had benefited from the MORE Grant Scheme and D-CARES, and promised to do more.
“Our social welfare agenda has been further rejigged with the introduction of our MORE Grant Scheme which was launched about a week ago, with over 5,000 beneficiaries who are mainly petty traders, vulnerable people and the elderly in the state”, the Governor added.
He said so far, the welfare of the state workforce had received uncommon attention through the prompt payment of promotion arrears and other incentives to boost their moral.
Governor Oborevwori, who commended his predecessors in office for their support, urged them not to relent in contributing to the growth of the state.
In a sermon, former President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Papa Ayo Oritsejafor, lauded Governor Sheriff Oborevwori for choosing to praise God on his first year anniversary, pointing out that “prayer takes believers to God’s gate but praise takes them to His presence”.
Papa Oritsejafor, who took his sermon from Psalm 100 Verse 4, told those in positions of trust to embrace praise to God as a weapon to attain breakthrough and overcome challenges.
He congratulated Governor Oborevwori on an eventful one year in office and urged him not to deviate from putting God first in the affairs of the state.
In a welcome address, the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Hon. Prince Johnson Erijo, said the Delta Praise Day was established by law and urged all Deltans to praise God for all He had used Governor Oborevwori to do in the last one year.