By Christopher Odamah, Warri
The Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Ewetan Uduaghan has said that the Warri Industrial Business Park project was still on course and that government had no intention to dump it.
While stating this in a New Year Day phone-in programme on Good Morning Delta on DRTV and Melody FM, Radio Delta, Warri recently, Governor Uduaghan held that the Warri Industrial Business Park project was too dear to his administration to be abandoned.
While elaborating further, the Governor dispelled the rumour and insinuation that the State Government may have abandoned the Warri Industrial Business Park project expected to generate hundreds of jobs when it comes on stream.
He revealed that the paper work for the project has been completed and over N500 Million made available for the payment of compensation.
On the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC), the Governor stated that the commission was being repositioned so as to serve people of oil producing communities in the state better.
In 2013, he said, his administration will vigorously pursue improved security of lives and property in the state, adding that as part of measures of dealing with the security situation in the state in 2013, the ban on commercial motorcycles popularly known as Okada will be extended to other parts of the state.
On environment, the Governor disclosed that the environmental laws of the state were being fine tuned for better enforcement, saying that in this year, 10,000 youths will be recruited as task force officers to enforce environmental laws to ensure a clean Delta state and harped on the need for attitudinal change amongst Deltans towards their environment.
While charging Deltans to support government’s efforts towards proper waste disposal in the state, Governor Uduaghan disclosed that incinerators had been purchased towards enhancing waste management.
He said more youth empowerment programmes would also take the front burner in the New Year, while plans are on to collaborate with the Israeli government towards increasing food production in the state.
Governor Uduaghan said his government will construct and rehabilitate more public primary and secondary schools in the state in the New Year.
He added that focus will be on the quality and distribution of teachers as well as training and retraining of teachers.
The Governor stated that in the New Year, the free maternal, under five, rural and other health programmes of the state will be sustained and improved upon. He envisaged that the Delta State University Teaching Hospital, Oghara will in the next 16 months be able to commence kidney transplant to save patients the huge financial stress of treatment abroad.