I’m not that kind of governor that grandstand – Okowa

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State has said that grandstanding on hot-button issues like some politicians does was not part of his policy and developmental agenda for his state.
Okowa spoke while fielding questions from journalists during the first quarterly media interaction with members of the Delta State council of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Asaba on Wednesday (21-03-18).
Responding to question on deplorable state of government-owned broadcasting stations, and his failure to visit the DBS Asaba after the last flooding incident, Okowa said that he believes in making concerted efforts in putting things right rather than grandstanding.
“It is not about grandstanding. If I have started a project (storm water drainages) that would stop the process of flooding, that’s the most important thing. Am not that kind of person that walk around trying to crave attention of the press. The most important thing is driving the process that would stop that thing from happening.

“That’s most important than going to grandstand and get all manners of publicity and nothing is being done. But what is being done by Setraco, I think by the time they are done we will be proud to see what government have done.
“So finding a solution to a problem is what matters and not going to gain publicity. Relating with the press is very nice, because so many of them are very nice people but people knows I’m not that kind of person that would want to over blow what I’m doing.
“I want to think, I want to act and that’s my kind of person. So am sorry that it passed negatively that I have not visited the place but the work we are doing to right the flooding will speak for itself”.
While responding to question if the construction of the new N13billion State secretariat project would not be halted if the project was not completed at the end of his first term come May 29, 2019, Okowa, waxing strong, asserted boldly: “I know I’m coming back as governor; I know I’m coming back as governor with my deputy by God’s grace.”
Governor Okowa said the secretariat project would be completed in 2019 but wished that the contractor expedite action for it to be commissioned before he takes oath of office for the second term.
“The secretariat complex is a project, and it is ongoing but the first thing is that by the grace of God, I am coming back. I will come back with my deputy.
“The fact is that before the end of this first tenure, the project would have been almost completed with the way they are going about it, they are right on course.
“The consultant supervising the project briefs us regularly and by the projection of the contractor, it is due for completion in 2019, it may not be before May 29.
“So there will be no question of that project being abandoned, that will not happen. But I am praying that they will work a little faster to see if I can commission it before I enter my second tenure,” he stated.
Earlier, Okowa disclosed that the revenue to the state has greatly improved which led to the state not owing salaries of workers and also, complementing local government councils to offset backlog of salaries owed their staff.
“I know that when we spoke the last time, that we were anticipating things will gradually get better and I want to confirm to us that by the special grace of God in terms of receipts from Federal Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) allocation as it concerns the state, and by God’s grace a lot has been done in the course of time.

“It has been confirmed that at the end of December 2017, in terms of salaries, we have paid all our salaries at the state level up to date; we have even began as a state to give support to the local government councils to enable them pay their salaries more regularly and we are beginning to find ways to settle some of the backlog of salaries; we are committed to that and it is going to be a gradual process and we hope that the councils that owe will eventually be able to settle the backlog of salaries,” the Governor assured.