Governor Godwin Obaseki: says 13 per cent derivation payment not enough to develop Niger Delta

By Edeki Igafe

Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo has called for the upward review of the current 13 per cent derivation formula to the oil-producing states.

Obaseki made the call on Tuesday shortly after inaugurating the Effurun-Otor-Ovwor-Olomu bridge and the rehabilitated 34-km Otu-Jeremi-Okwagbe Road in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta.

The governor  said that the current 13 per cent allocation by the Federal Government was inadequate for the development of the Niger Delta.

The governor said that the terrain in the South-South had made it quite expensive to develop infrastructure, especially roads.

Obaseki commended his Delta counterpart , Ifeanyi Okowa,  on the number of projects being executed in the state.

He said Okowa would do better, if more funds were made available to the state.

Obaseki said that the  inaugurated bridge and road projects would enhance the economy of the communities and also connected them to other parts of the state.

He described Okowa as a brilliant leader, who understood the importance of roads and other infrastructure in the economic development of the communities.

“Governor Okowa has moved up from ‘road master’ to ‘bridge master’.

“He is a champion of modern day democracy and represents the ideals of great leadership, particularly with the quality of work he does with the derivation funds.

“Okowa is not only building physical bridges but also social, economic and community bridges,” he said.

Obaseki pedged the sustenance of the age-long relationship between Delta and Edo, assuring that he would invite Okowa to inaugurate projects in Edo very soon.

In his remarks, Okowa said that the Effurun-Otor-Ovwor bridge was one of the major demands of the people when he visited the communities in 2015.

He said that the vision of his administration was to connect Delta communities with roads, bridges and other basic amenities.

Okowa added that his administration had awarded  no fewer than 500 road projects with many already completed.

The governor commended the contractor handling the projects, Obakpor Engineering Limited and assured that he would deliver on the Ovwor Hospital project in 2022.

“Today, I believe that my joy knows no bounds because we have truly brought joy to the people of Ovwor-Olomu/Effurun-Otor.

“We are currently continuing on the Trans-Warri road with several bridges and it is our hope that we will complete that project leading to Ode-Itsekiri in the course of our tenure.

“The Ayakoromo bridge is still undergoing construction, the Orere bridge in Ewu kingdom has just started,” he said.

The Okobaro of Ughievwen Kingdom, Dr Matthew Egbi, Ohwahwa 11, thanked  governor Okowa for transforming the communities of Otu-Jeremi, Eyara, Imode, Oginibo, Okwagbe and other communities in Ughelli South.

“Ughievwen Kingdom is an investors’ haven, a major contributor to the nation oil and gas assets,” the traditional ruler  said.

Also speaking, Orovworere of Effurun-Otor Kingdom, Mr Johnson Duke, described Okowa as a listening governor, who always acted on genuine demands of the people.