Pieter Schuyler must have had Delta State in mind when he
postulated that “Until we totally change the way we elect our leaders, until we
remove private money from public campaigns, lying will be the de facto method
of governance in this country”. Orchestrated media hype, sycophancy and
outright deceit has become a way of life in the current political dispensation
in Delta State. Uncommon transformation and unprecedented achievements is now the “SLANG” to
blindfold the downtrodden that are still living in abject poverty and penury.
Everyday, we are inundated with news of “high” performance of the Uduaghan
government, yet the state is bedevilled with insecurity, lack of infastructures
and high unemployment rate.
Good governance, transparency, accountability, portable drinking water, stable electric power supply, health amenities is still a mirage that is pursued but never attained. This writer is in consonant with the views of Thomas Jefferson who opined that “I am not a friend to a very energetic government. It is always oppressive”
Sadly, in the last five years, Delta State has been “bless” with an administration that lacks foresight and clear vision. It is indeed painful especially if one is to take cognizance of the huge revenue which has been generated in the state in the last five years. During the inception of this present administration, the Uduaghan government had assured that it will establish industries in the 25 local government areas of the state; a boast which has turned out to be mere “political showmanship”.
I am still in quandary why the Uduaghan government spent a whopping #7.5 billion to demolish a hill near the Asaba airport, yet large aircraft can still not land safely at Asaba Airport, despite the #7.5billion project to demolish the hills surrounding the runway.
Another area that I am in a quagmire is that of the street lights, the Delta State Commissioner of Power and Energy, Charles Emetulu, said that the Uduaghan administration spent #75 million on diesel monthly to power street lights in Asaba and Warri which comes up to N3.6 Billion in four years. However, analysts in an uproar over the amount said it is “colossal” and that the government is fraudulent in its claim that it has spent #3.6 billion over the past four years powering street lights, especially considering the epic numbers of armed robberies and kidnappings in the state.
According to them, a 60KVA generator has a tank capacity of 150 liters of diesel and their engines use 9.7 liters of diesel per hour. This means a full tank of 150 litres can last 15 hours. Delta State keeps its street lights on during the 12 hours of darkness in a day, meaning it is impossible for it to use more than 150 liters in a day. 150 liters multiplied by N 170 per litre of diesel is #25, 500, so the government cannot possibly spend more than #30, 000 (inclusive of transport etc) on fueling a single generator in a day.
While political scavengers and hare brain spin doctors are gallivanting about Uduaghans’s achievements, hundreds of billions of Delta State funds are being siphoned via fathom projects. The Asaba-Ughelli road dualization project has gulped over nineteen billion and another five billion earmarked for it in the 2012 budget, still the road is begging for urgent attention. The Koko-Ugbenu road dualization has swallowed an unknown colossal sum with two billion set aside for it in the 2012 budget, albeit the road still remains in a poor state. The Effurun-Osubi-Eku road project has taken huge sums as well with another three point ninety-four billion proposed for it in 2012 budget, yet vehicular movement still witnesses serious traffic.
Six billion has been expropriated on the Trans Warri-Ode Itsekiri road and bridge yet no hope in sight despite additional five billion for same road in the 2012 budget. The IPP at Ogharefe commenced in 2009 has sucked twenty- four billion with a whopping four billion in the 2012 budget, while other States have began enjoying the benefit of their IPP project, Uduaghan is trading profit and loss account with that of Delta State. Warri Industrial Park is a PPP project, but Uduaghan has spent one billion of State fund on consultancy alone with no specific time frame for private sector participation. The so-called Asaba International Airport has gulped unverified sum with another four billion in the 2012 budget inspite of government's earlier claims that the airport project was a done deal.
The Osubi Airport doesn't belong to the State; one point three billion was spent on expansion and construction of a second runway with a huge sum of eight billion of Deltans sweat, carved out for it in the 2012 budget. When did Delta State acquire this Airport, at what cost and what's the nature of the transaction?
However, I will be magnanimous to concur with the opinion of Emile Lahoud, who stated that “Democracy, good governance and modernity cannot be imported or imposed from outside a country”. Therefore, there is need for the Uduaghan's government to look inwards, taking cognizance of our peculiar environmental challenges, and concentrate on projects that are capable of creating a beehive of economic activities and ensure an influx of people to the state.
One cannot claim he is performing while he has not been able to attract a single industry in the last five years; the Uduaghan government has taken the state backward in terms of development. It is only a very committed, patriotic and progressive Deltan that can restore this state to the path of glory.
Aruviere Martin Egharhevwa Writes From London, United Kingdom.
Good governance, transparency, accountability, portable drinking water, stable electric power supply, health amenities is still a mirage that is pursued but never attained. This writer is in consonant with the views of Thomas Jefferson who opined that “I am not a friend to a very energetic government. It is always oppressive”
Sadly, in the last five years, Delta State has been “bless” with an administration that lacks foresight and clear vision. It is indeed painful especially if one is to take cognizance of the huge revenue which has been generated in the state in the last five years. During the inception of this present administration, the Uduaghan government had assured that it will establish industries in the 25 local government areas of the state; a boast which has turned out to be mere “political showmanship”.
I am still in quandary why the Uduaghan government spent a whopping #7.5 billion to demolish a hill near the Asaba airport, yet large aircraft can still not land safely at Asaba Airport, despite the #7.5billion project to demolish the hills surrounding the runway.
Another area that I am in a quagmire is that of the street lights, the Delta State Commissioner of Power and Energy, Charles Emetulu, said that the Uduaghan administration spent #75 million on diesel monthly to power street lights in Asaba and Warri which comes up to N3.6 Billion in four years. However, analysts in an uproar over the amount said it is “colossal” and that the government is fraudulent in its claim that it has spent #3.6 billion over the past four years powering street lights, especially considering the epic numbers of armed robberies and kidnappings in the state.
According to them, a 60KVA generator has a tank capacity of 150 liters of diesel and their engines use 9.7 liters of diesel per hour. This means a full tank of 150 litres can last 15 hours. Delta State keeps its street lights on during the 12 hours of darkness in a day, meaning it is impossible for it to use more than 150 liters in a day. 150 liters multiplied by N 170 per litre of diesel is #25, 500, so the government cannot possibly spend more than #30, 000 (inclusive of transport etc) on fueling a single generator in a day.
While political scavengers and hare brain spin doctors are gallivanting about Uduaghans’s achievements, hundreds of billions of Delta State funds are being siphoned via fathom projects. The Asaba-Ughelli road dualization project has gulped over nineteen billion and another five billion earmarked for it in the 2012 budget, still the road is begging for urgent attention. The Koko-Ugbenu road dualization has swallowed an unknown colossal sum with two billion set aside for it in the 2012 budget, albeit the road still remains in a poor state. The Effurun-Osubi-Eku road project has taken huge sums as well with another three point ninety-four billion proposed for it in 2012 budget, yet vehicular movement still witnesses serious traffic.
Six billion has been expropriated on the Trans Warri-Ode Itsekiri road and bridge yet no hope in sight despite additional five billion for same road in the 2012 budget. The IPP at Ogharefe commenced in 2009 has sucked twenty- four billion with a whopping four billion in the 2012 budget, while other States have began enjoying the benefit of their IPP project, Uduaghan is trading profit and loss account with that of Delta State. Warri Industrial Park is a PPP project, but Uduaghan has spent one billion of State fund on consultancy alone with no specific time frame for private sector participation. The so-called Asaba International Airport has gulped unverified sum with another four billion in the 2012 budget inspite of government's earlier claims that the airport project was a done deal.
The Osubi Airport doesn't belong to the State; one point three billion was spent on expansion and construction of a second runway with a huge sum of eight billion of Deltans sweat, carved out for it in the 2012 budget. When did Delta State acquire this Airport, at what cost and what's the nature of the transaction?
However, I will be magnanimous to concur with the opinion of Emile Lahoud, who stated that “Democracy, good governance and modernity cannot be imported or imposed from outside a country”. Therefore, there is need for the Uduaghan's government to look inwards, taking cognizance of our peculiar environmental challenges, and concentrate on projects that are capable of creating a beehive of economic activities and ensure an influx of people to the state.
One cannot claim he is performing while he has not been able to attract a single industry in the last five years; the Uduaghan government has taken the state backward in terms of development. It is only a very committed, patriotic and progressive Deltan that can restore this state to the path of glory.
Aruviere Martin Egharhevwa Writes From London, United Kingdom.
No comments:
Post a Comment