LAGOS JULY 18TH (URHOBOTODAY)-Group under the aegis of Crusade for Democracy and Good Governance (CDGG) has refuted a report in The Rainbow Newspaper credited to a group known as Udu Political Elites which tongue lashed Hon (Chief) Peter Okagabare Uviejitobor, Minority Whip of Delta State House of Assembly Representing Udu constituency for claiming credit over the completion of construction and renovation projects of classroom blocks of some primary schools in Udu Local Government Area of Delta State.
Udu Political Elites had in the said publication accused Hon Peter Uviejitobor of taken the glory of projects executed by his predecessors, stating that the first person to have attracted those projects into budget of the state was Hon Harvest Igben who was the then minority leader in the DTHA, using his influence to put the said projects in the 2010 budget of the state. The statement further alleged that the project execution could not be possible because of approved budgetary provisions that was too meager and as such could not execute the projects before expiration of his tenure in 2011.
The group added that when Hon Keston Okoro came on board in 2011 as member representing Udu constituency in the DTHA; he raised a memo for additional funds for the projects which according to the group was approved by the state government.
The group posited that it was the additional fund that gave birth to the award of the contracts to contractors for the renovation of the said projects thereby crediting the projects to Hon Keston Okoro.
In a swift reaction, Spokesman of Crusade for Democracy and Good Governance, Comrade Patrick Runor who queried if Hon Keston Okoro was aware of the report written by Udu Political Elites before publication, pointed out that who made the said publication were ignorant of what is known as budget making and project execution.
The group urged reporters of community newspapers especially The Rainbow Newspapers to always verify and balance their reports before publishing, noting that such unfounded reports can tarnish their own image which may lead to litigation.
Runor who argued that budget could be made for over ten years without execution said, “For instance; Udu Harbour Market which had been on budget for several years without execution is to be executed by the present government of Senator Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa and at the time of Hon (Chief) Peter Okagbare Uviejitobor, member representing Udu constituency in the Delta State House of Assembly.”
The statement reads in part: “Our attention has been drawn to a report published in The Rainbow Newspaper tongue lashing Hon (Chief) Peter Okagbare Uviejitobor, Minority Whip Representing Udu constituency in the Delta State House of Assembly over a full-page congratulatory massage he made to Governor Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa on his one year in office on page 2 of Pointer Newspapers of 3rd June 2016.
“When these said projects are completed; the same group might ignorantly credit same to the former lawmaker, Hon Keston Okoro who was a member of DTHA in the 5th assembly under the administration of former Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan. It is worthy of note that every other projects completed and ongoing in Udu constituency with effect from June 8th 2015 till date, are executed by this present administration of Dr Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa alongside Hon (Chief) Peter Okagabare Uviejitobor.
“All the completed and ongoing projects published by Hon Uviejitobor in the said full-page advert in pointer newspaper of 3rd June 2016 are projects of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) which was executed by the Federal and State government counterpart fund approved by the 6th assembly. It should also be noted that such projects does not pass through the state budget as posited by Udu Political Elites.
“We also want to state clearly that the present Delta State House Assembly is the 6th assembly and not 7th assembly as ignorantly published by the so called Udu Political Elites. There is also a difference between budget making and budget execution. In addition, house of assembly members do not issue memo except commissioners of the State Executive Council.
“For avoidance of the doubt, we educate you on the following completed projects of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB); construction of three classroom block at Ekete-waterside primary school, six classroom block at Orhuwhorun primary school, solar water scheme at Orhuwhorun primary school, three classroom block and painting of fence at Orhuwhorun primary school, three classroom block at Ujevwu primary school, six classroom block at Egini primary school, renovation of three and six classroom blocks and painting of fence at Otor-Udu primary school, three classroom block at Ekrota primary school and three classroom block at Ukperheren primary school.
“Others are road maintenance by Direct Labour Agency (DLA) at Orhuwhorun town, Mofor-Police-post, Orhuwhorun road, New-York road and Aladja junction. While the 2016 ongoing Udu constituency projects are at top gear. They include; construction of 6 classroom block at Orhuwhorun Secondary School, construction of 6 classroom block at Aladja Grammar School and construction of 6 classroom block at Adadja Secondary School, Emadadja. “
The group maintained that the aforementioned projects were executed by this present administration and as such should be credited to the Governor of Delta State, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa and Hon Peter Okagbare Uviejitobor member representing Udu constituency in the Delta State House of Assembly.