Governor Okowa scraps predecessor’s projects, says they are not workable - Governor

Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta state has scrapped two projects initiated by the previous government of Dr. Emmanuel Udaughan

He said there is no enough fund to continue financing the projects even as the private partners are not showing real commitment to the projects

The governor also suspended the first class scholarship scheme also initiated by the previous government, basing his decision on scarcity of funds Delta state.

The two projects are the Oleri Park in Warri and the wild life park in Ogwashi-Uku. Okowa. The governor hinted that the projects which have gulped billions of naira from the state coffers cannot continue following the failure of the private partners to show commitment to the two parks.

The governor gave the revelation Tuesday at the quarterly media interaction held at the Delta government house. Also, the governor suspended the Delta state first class scholarship scheme for graduating students of Delta origin to study in any country and institution of their choice.

Governor Okowa said: “I wish it were something that I could continue, you see when we hear about the economic recession, we want to just pretend as if we don’t know how deep the cut is. It is not easy, I know of a particular state in this nation where workers are on 50 per cent salary.

 "It is even happening now that even at the federal level, the federal universities are not receiving full paid salaries. So, when you have this very deep cut in the economy and we want to, on our own, pretend as a state government as if we can still chew everything that is available to us, it is a great mistake.”

He said there are things his government is looking at to be done and those to be stepped down at the moment in order to stabilize governance.

“The question is will the worker be relieved of his duty so that I can continue with some of these scholarships programmes? It’s something that we found was not going to work,”

on his role in the impeachment of the former speaker of the state house of assembly, the governor said: “I believe the house of assembly is vibrant enough and they have knowledgeable men but the real truth it is that I have no hands in the impeachment and that is why I spent a lot of time trying to resolve the issues. “But it appears the large majority of the membership of the house felt that the former speaker needed to give way. And I did not believe that after trying to reconcile everybody. In fact for four days 

I didn’t have to do any other thing, I am just trying to hold meetings with various sections.”

Okowa also said he had not right to mount pressure on members of the house to do anything against their will, adding: “That is why the decision was taken by them. If I were to have a hand in the impeachment of the speaker, they won’t need to sit in the very early hours of the morning. “They would have sat at the appropriate time because 

I would have provided them enough security to do that but I don’t think I will get myself involved in the impeachment of any speaker, I don’t think that is the right thing to do. He continued: “Everybody is equal, whenever you are appointed or elected into any particular office, you are only just the first among equals and anything can take place with the house of assemblies just as it happens at the national assembly.”