The 2019 general elections have come and gone, but the discussion and analysis may not leave our political space anytime soon. And one of the major high points of that electoral exercise was the landslide victory recorded at the poll by the Executive Governor of Delta State, Senator (Dr.) Ifeanyi Okowa, who like his colleagues in other states has since been inaugurated for his second term in office. In view of the above heartening development, the Editorial Board and the entire staff of Ika Weekly Newspaper, sincerely congratulate you, Senator (Dr.) Ifeanyi Okowa, on this landmark achievement and wish you a fruitful second term in office as the Executive Governor of Delta state.
The volume of votes recorded at the poll, which is historic by our reckoning, stands as a testament to the impressive performance of your first term in office,
Specifically, it is obvious that your administration between May 2015 and May 2019 made appreciable progress in the areas of road construction, youth empowerment, security, education, payment of both pensions and workers salaries among others.
However, as a responsive and responsible media organization that performs an agenda setting role which the instrumentality of participatory democracy bestows on us, we have observed that these virtues and attributes that characterized your first term, notwithstanding, more ground still needs to be covered and more work needs to be done.
Fundamentally, it is our opinion that you demonstrate magnanimity in victory, uniting all Deltans irrespective of party affiliations or ethnic divides. As a father-figure in the state, do not hate people for criticizing you. Instead, thank them for helping you develop the strategies you need to come out a stronger leader. Taking this step, we hope, will ensure peace in the state which is a necessary bedrock for development. SEE ALSO:OKOWA WILL BE CELEBRATED IF HE UNITES IKA NATION SAYS ASHIEN
On the call for education and infrastructural development in the state, it’s not as if you have not done well in these areas. But as an organization that supports sustainable development philosophy, we believe strongly that your administration has to revisit and address some nagging challenges in the area vis-a-vis the dilapidated school buildings and the number of out of school children in the state.
Tackling these challenges will without doubt demand assembling best brains in the state to brainstorm, and come up with roadmaps that will open up rural communities and ensure hyper-modern educational facilities in the remote areas of the state.
Next to infrastructural and educational sector development, is the urgent imperative to initiate new projects and programmes on human capital development of Deltans, especially for youths in the rural communities. Equipping these youths with various skills, no doubt, will further promote peace in the state.
While this is ongoing, Ika Weekly Newspaper recognize without doubt, the indispensable role civil servants play in the development of every state. And as a natural response, we implore you to reinvigorate them through periodic training and retraining, as well as prompt payments of their salaries and allowances.
Also worthy of communication by the Editorial Board of Ika Weekly Newspaper is the recent appointment of Barrister Chiedu Ebie as the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), a decision we adjudged as a right step taken in the right direction, given his antecedent and sterling achievements as the immediate past Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education in the state. In line with this development, we suggest that more youths who understand that competence is the difference between excellence and mediocrity be injected into your government as a way of preparing for seamless future leadership of the state.
Finally, as Deltans continue to celebrate your resounding victory at the polls, we, Ika Weekly Newspaper cannot end this editorial comment without underlining the importance of liaising with the traditional rulers to ensure peace at the grassroots.