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worlds longest bridge

Delta pays 25% of N78bn Warri flyovers contract sum

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Boji-Boji (Delta), Nov. 10, 2023: Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta says government has paid 25 per cent  mobilisation of the N78 billion contract for Warri-Effurun flyovers, cloverleaf and road expansion projects to Julius Berger.

The governor disclosed this on Thursday while addressing journalists after  inspecting the completed Boji-Boji Mixed Market in Ika North-East Local Government Area of the state.

He said that with payment of the mobilisation,  the contractor, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, would soon commence work on the project.

“We have mobilised Julius Berger with 25 percent of the total contract sum and they are doing the drawings, soil tests and all the necessary preliminary works now.

“Very soon, between now and first week of December, we will have the ground breaking ceremony because everything is in top gear and we are going to keep to all our promises.

“I believe that the people of Delta are very happy with what we are doing and we are pleased that the state has been very peaceful,” he said.

He lauded the immediate past Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa, for initiating the Boji-Boji market project which comprise 120 shops and a modern abattoir.

He thanked the contractor for the good job.

“Normally, before we commission any project, we need to inspect it to know whether it is done to specification. So, we are satisfied with this project.

“I know that the people of Ika North East will be very happy for this project and I thank the immediate past governor for initiating the project which has been completed during my tenure,” he said.

On workers welfare, the  governor, said that his administration would complete the payment of promotion arrears to workers in the state with the last tranche expected to be paid at the end of November.

He said that his government had also supported workers in the state with the payment of N10,000 each monthly for three months to cushion the effects of economic hardship on them occasioned by the removal of fuel subsidy by the Federal Government.

The governor also said his administration would continue to patronise competent indigenous contractors while engaging foreign ones for critical projects.

The governor who also inspected some completed and ongoing projects in Ika North-East and Aniocha South Local Government Areas lauded the immediate past Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa, for initiating the projects.

He added that his administration would continue to consolidate on existing projects as well as  initiate new ones.

“This particular road connects all the villages around this area. There is another village down the road called Ewulu; the road will boost commerce in the communities on this route.

“We are happy with the work done so far. The contractor has assured us that between now and December, the asphalting of the road will be completed.

“What is left of the work here is 24 per cent  they have done about 76 per cent of the work.

” The contractor has been fully mobilised and he has assured us that the job will be completed by next month.

“We also patronise Indigenous contractors and this is one of them that we are using. Looking at the work he has done, we are very satisfied,” he said.

Pension administrators invest N6.05 trn in securities

Delta borrows N40bn to pay retirees of Councils

Asaba, July 4, 2023: The Delta Chairman of Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Mr Victor Ebonka has said that local councils in the state have secured a N40 billion loan to settle pension arrears owed retirees from 2016 to date.

Ebonka explained that contrary to insinuations, the loan was secured by the LGCs, not the State Government.

The ALGON chairman made the clarification while speaking with newsmen on Monday in Asaba after a meeting of the state government and LGAs Joint Account Allocation Committee (JAAC).

“The state government did not borrow N40 billion as reported in some quarters.

“The only role played by the state government was to give approval and forward same to the State Assembly for ratification.

“So, it is exclusively the Local Government Councils that are borrowing this money,” he added.

According to him, the LGCs are by law expected to get the approval of the State Government and the ratification of the State Assembly before securing  any loan.

“So, any moment from now, the pensioners will smile home. We also want to state that no penny from the N40 billion is going to the coffers of the Local Governments.

“We are going to cover about ninety percent of the accrued rights from this money, all of the monies will be paid directly to the pensioners,” Ebonka said.

He said that the pensioners include primary school teachers and other retired local government workers.

According to him, the retirees were not paid their entitlements over the years due to error in their enrollment into the state contributory pension scheme.

“This problem was inherited from the two previous administrations and it has to do with an error in the enrollment into the contributory pension scheme.

“And for this shortcoming, we have found ourselves owing their accrued rights from 2016 to date.

“The past administration set a machinery in motion and has tried to ensure that the debt is liquidated by giving several grants totalling about N5 billion and increased statutory contribution from N200 million a month to N500 million.”

Ebonka however said in spite of the interventions by the state government, it had been difficult to clear the outstanding arrears.

“This made the immediate past administration to set up a committee comprising of myself the ALGON chairman, the Head of Service and other stakeholders.

“The committee went to the bond market to get a facility but was not successful because the cost of funds was quite expensive.

“So, we approached the commercial bank to get the facility and we can say that Zenith Bank has agreed to offer us N40 billion out of the N51 billion we are indebted to the pensioners,” Ebonka said.

NEPZA 1

Delta economic zone gets official licence

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The official licence of the Delta State Special Economic Zone (DSEZ) has been presented by the Nigeria Export Processing Zone.

The presentation was performed in Abuja on Wednesday at a ceremony where the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) model of the Free Trade Zone concept was described as more meaningful and beneficial to local investors and markets.

The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo, said at the ceremony that the Federal Government took a wise decision regarding the scheme.

Adebayo, represented by Mr S.A Jaja, Deputy Director, Trade in the ministry, said the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration had encouraged NEPZA to adopt the model for all-inclusive industrialisation process across the country.

The minister further explained that the SEZ model was better positioned to both attract Foreign and Local Direct Investments into the free zone business ecosystem, adding that the model allowed for easy interface with the custom territory. 

 He therefore, expressed delight on the giant step taken by the Delta State Government to embrace the economic model that had the capacity to unlock the state’s wealth and growth potentials.

Adebayo also thanked Prof. Adesoji Adesugba, the Managing Director of NEPZA for his relentless passion in ensuring that all-state governments keyed into the free zone scheme.

On his part, the governor of Delta State, Sen. Ifeanyi Okowa, thanked President Buhari for approving the Delta State SEZ Licence, describing it as a milestone.

Okowa said the state would leverage on the new business enclave to fully harness the potentials of the Koko Port, Kwale Industrial Park, and the Ogwashiku Agro-Allied Park.

The governor also said that the state would greatly rely on its comparative advantage in gas and crude oil deposits to also lure sustainable investments into the zone.

Adesugba, while delivering the licence to the governor, said the Authority was committed to further assisting the state in providing it with technical assistance and attracting world class investors into the zone.

Kenya gets $250m World Bank’s loan for housing

Delta moves to achieve World Bank’s reforms on ease of business

Delta Government says it has articulated strategies to enable it achieve the World Bank’s reforms on the ease of doing business in the state.

The Chairman, Delta State Investment Development Agency (DIDA), Mr Paul Nmah, stated this at the a day Engagement Meeting on Ease of Doing Business with Organised Private Sector and Other Stakeholders, organised by DIDA on Friday, in Asaba.

Nmah said that all the factors inhibiting businesses have been identified and were being addressed to enhance the ease of doing business in the state.

He said that the Agro-Industrial Park, Ogwashi-Uku and the Kwale Industrial Hub which were being marketed by DIDA for investors, would have Independent Power Plant (IPP) and other ancillary facilities that would ensure ease of doing business.

“We know all the issues and we are working hard to resolve them. So, investors should be patient with us,” he said.

He said that DIDA as an investment facilitation Agency has been at the forefront of driving the investment thrust of the state from over reliance on Oil and Gas to other sectors of the economy.

He noted that DIDA under the Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa led administration had attracted many investments into the state.

“Some of the investments have been completed while others are nearing completion or undergoing the process of implementations.

” As the Chairman of DIDA,  I have made it a priority to always interface with the organised private sector towards ensuring that Delta remains the preferred investors’ haven.

“I wish to encourage and invite both local and foreign investors to avail themselves of the conducive business environment we have created for them to invest in the state,” Nmah said.

On his part, DIDA Director-General, , Olorogun Lucky Oghene-Omoru, noted that the engagement with private sectors has become  necessary now that the country was facing economic and social challenges which had adversely impacted the performance of most businesses.

According to Oghene-Omoru, the ease of doing business of the  World Bank programme has 10 parameters designed to remove bottlenecks that endanger the performance of businesses within the state and the country.

“The parameters are briefly;  starting a business, dealing with construction permit, registering property, enforcing contract, paying taxes, resolving insolvency, obtaining credit, getting electricity, trading across borders and protecting minority investors.

“In DIDA, we have the One-Stop-Shop Department which is charged with the responsibility of evaluating the ease of doing business in the state, guiding and advising investors with respect to the investment and programmes of the state government.

“Delta government has inaugurated the State Ease of Doing Business Council,  which together with DIDA and other relevant state Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs) are working together to achieve the World Bank reforms on ease of doing business.”

Oghene-Omoru, urged the stakeholders to bare their minds on issues that affect their businesses for consideration and the attention of the governor.

He, however, said that the recent ranking that placed Delta as the 35 position out of 37 in the country on the ease of doing business was not a true reflection of the reality on ground.

He said that the evaluators should use indices from Asaba, the state capital as done in other states instead of using Warri, adding that businesses in Asaba has maintained a steady and rapid growth over the years.

The President, Delta State Association of Chambers of  Commerce Industry Mines and Agriculture (DACCIMA), Chief Anthony Idigbe, represented by Mrs Onyinye Molokwu, urged the state to reflect on the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council publications (PEBEC).

According to him, the PEBEC report which published the KPMG Nigeria rankings of the States in the country, placed Delta as 35 out of 37 States and FCT on the ease of doing business.

Also, the Chairman, National Association of Small Scale Industrialists (NASSI), Mr Prince will Ojei and his counterpart with Manufacturer’s Association of Nigeria (MAN), Edo/Delta, Dr Udensi Okwara stressed the need for power and energy and grants to support small businesses in the state.

While representatives of National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and  Control (NAFDAC), Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Corporate Affairs Commission  (CAC) and Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) urges collaboration with DIDA to deepen support to SMEs in the state.

budget address

Delta Assembly passes N571.6bn 2023 budget

The Delta House of Assembly on Wednesday, passed the state 2023 Appropriation Bill of N571.6 billion.

The passage of the Appropriation Bill followed the adoption of the report of the House Committee on Finance and Appropriation during plenary of the Assembly in Asaba.

The budget is made up of Recurrent Expenditure of N235.5 billion and Capital Expenditure of N336.1 billion.

Presenting the report, the  Chairman of the committee, Mrs Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu, said that the budget showed an increased of N10 billion as against the N562 billion earlier presented by the state governor.

She explained that the 2023 budget Christened ”Budget of Seamless and Stable Transition’ targeted the provision of sustained investment in new and ongoing projects, creation of employment and business opportunities among others.

She said the Appropriation committee carefully scrutinised the various reports of the sub-committees with their recommendations vis-a-vis the objectives of the budget.

”The committee after careful evaluations in the various heads and sub-heads decided to return  the budget estimate of N571.6 billion.

Consequently, the Majority Leader, Chief Ferguson Onwo moved a motion for the third reading and passage of the Appropriation Bill.

The motion which was unanimously adopted by the Assembly when put to a voice vote by the Speaker, Chief Sheriff Oborevwori, was seconded by the member representing Ethiope East Constituency, Mr Innocent Anidi.

The speaker while commending the lawmakers for the speedy passage of the bill, noted that the Assembly has once again successfully discharged the key function of authorising government expenditures in line with the provision of section 121 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as altered.

”I am confident that the timely passage of the Bill is in line with international best practices, and Delta State is on a good start to year 2023.

I believe that this bill will greatly impact the lives of the people of the state as well as consolidate on all the great works of Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa’s led administration,” he said.

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa had on Oct. 27 presented a budget proposal of N562 billion to the state Assembly for approval.

okowa

Okowa signs 2022 appropriation bill of N479bn

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Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta on Thursday in Asaba assented to the state’s 2022 budget of N479 billion.

The governor also signed five other bills, including the Delta State House of Assembly Service Establishment Bill 2021 and the Delta State Registration of Community Development Associations Bill 2021.

Others are Delta State Debt Management Bill 2021, Delta State Erosion and Watershed Management Bill 2021 and Asaba Specialist Hospital Bill, 2021.

While assenting to the bills, Okowa assured that the state would strive to implement capital projects embedded in the 2022 budget as well as complete all ongoing projects before the end of his tenure.

He commended the House of Assembly for the speedy passage of the appropriation bill and said that his assenting to it before the end of December would avail the state government the opportunity to further plan towards its implementation in January 2022.

“You just witnessed the signing into law of six bills that were passed by the House of Assembly this last quarter of the year, 2021.

“We thank God for the good work the House has done; the very important one is the Delta State Appropriation Bill 2022, now signed into law.

“I must thank the House for giving speedy attention to the bill because with the signing into law today, it will help us to plan and to start early in 2022.

“I do know that it went through the full legislative process and I must thank the House for the great job that it did which enabled us to pass the bill on the 30th of November.

“I want to reassure the people that we will continue to do our best. We are very much aware that there are financial challenges in the country today, but we will continue to do our best within the limits of the resources available.

“We are very much hopeful that there will be a turnaround in 2022, and I hope that we will be able to execute the capital projects that are contained in our budget, both the new ones and the ongoing before the end of our tenure,” he said.

On the Delta State Erosion and Watershed Management Agency Bill, Okowa said that the law would enable the government to tackle erosion and flooding issues in the state head-on.

“I want to also appreciate you for the passage of the Delta State Erosion and Watershed Management Agency Bill, signed into law today.

“We are very much aware that there is a lot of devastation in the ecosystem in some parts of our state. This is following through the advice that was given to us by the World Bank.

“We can now actually focus more in dealing with flood and erosion challenges across the state,’’ he said.

According to him, the Delta State House of Assembly Service Commission Amendment Bill is very important for the smooth running of the service of the House of Assembly.

On the Asaba Specialist Hospital Bill, the governor said that the law was very key to the effective management of the hospital to enhance universal health coverage in the state.

He said Delta State Debt Management Law sought to regulate and manage the state’s borrowing and debt portfolio in line with international best practices, explaining that “It seeks to establish the Debt Management Department in the Ministry of Finance.

Presenting the bills, the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Chief Sherrif Oborevwori, said that they went through all legislative processes before being passed.

He said that with the timely presentation of the Appropriation Bill 2022 and its subsequent passage by the House, the state was on a good start for year 2022.

“I am confident that the budgetary provisions for 2022 will meet the yearnings of our people and the developmental needs of the state because it is indeed a realistic budget,” he said.

On the passage of Debt Management Bill, the speaker said the state had complied with the requirements of the World Bank’s State Fiscal Transparency, Accountability and Sustainability (SFTAS) Programme and the World Bank Disbursement guidelines.

2019-budget

Delta state budgets N469.4bn for 2022

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Delta Government has approved the sum of N469.4 billion as appropriation for 2022 fiscal year.

The Commissioner for Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu and his counterpart in Economic Planning, Dr Barry Pere-Gbe, disclosed this at a news conference on Thursday in Asaba.

The briefing was on some of the decisions reached at the State Executive Council (EXCO) meeting held on Thursday.

Pere-Gbe said the approval was in line with the state fiscal responsibility law.

He said the council came to N469.4 billion after a thorough review of the initial N425 billion indicative budget size earlier proposed by his ministry.

Pere-Gbe said that his ministry had earlier proposed N425 billion in the Medium Term Expenditure Framework and the Fiscal Strategy Paper (MTEF and FSP).

He noted that the EXCO had fairer view of what the year 2022 should be hence the approval of N469.4 billion.

“After a review of the indicative budget size, we were able to have a fairer view of what the budget size should look like.

“It was to a large extent, more than what we proposed in the MTEF and FSP,” he said.

He said government had resolved to grow its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) from the projected N75 billion to N80 billion in order to fund N469.4 billion 2022 budget.

“We also increased our assumptions around the capital receipts and borrowings to sufficiently fund our expenditure side” he said.

According to Pere-Gbe, the 2022 budget will be used to fund facilities in the new universities, facility procurement in the Ministry of Health, procurement and funding contract around technical education ministry.

“We will be doing a whole lot around education generally (higher and basic) and also roads.

“We intend to complete the bridges that are yet to be completed especially the Ayokoromo bridge that his Excellency is so particular about”.

He said that government would sustain its jobs creation programmes and continue to create entrepreneurs in 2022.

“We are expanding the net around the girl-child programme and every other empowerment programmes,” he said.

On his part, Aniagwu said the EXCO concluded consideration of the white paper of the findings of the Judicial Panel of Inquiry which was set up last year to examine allegation of police brutality and extra-judicial killings known as #EndSARS.

“Today, we concluded the consideration of that particular report except for some few items that we have to carry out some investigations with a view to arriving at the right decision.

“As a result of our determination to finish strong, we deliberated on the need to take full advantage of the dry season that is about to set in to deepen infrastructural development of the state,” Aniagwu said.

According to him, the approved N469.4 billion appropriation will be transmitted to the state House of Assembly before October ending.

2019-budget

Delta state proposes N425bn as budget for 2022

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Delta state has proposed a total sum of N425 billion as the appropriation for year 2022, indicating that the budget would soon be transmitted to the State House of Assembly.
The State Commissioner for Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu, flanked by his counterparts in Economic Planning, Mr Barry Gbe, and Housing, Mr Festus Ochonogor, said the figure was part of the decisions reached at the State executive Council meeting on Friday in Asaba.
Aniagwu said that the council meeting was the first after the newly-constituted cabinet on Thursday, July 29, following the dissolution of the executive council by Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa on May 18.
He said that the meeting approved many memos, including those for the budget proposal, low cost housing for low-income workers, road projects, among others.
“So, a number of issues were taken up, ranging from development of infrastructure, to the 2022 budget, housing scheme for low-income workers, procurement of medical equipment for the Mother and Child Centre, Owa Alero.
“The council approved for construction, the 756-metre Amoro Street in Enerhen, Uwvie Local Government Area, Osamo Street in Ika North East; Ozu-Onyia Ogbe Stree in Ika South and Okpolo/Enwie Road in Isoko South LGAs.
“Also approved is a high-powered committee to be headed by the deputy governor, Deacon Kingsley Otuaro, to look into issues of sanitation to ensure that we maintain a much healthier sanitation in our state,” he said.
He said that the council also approved the increased pace of work in Warri/Uwvie ongoing storm water projects to extend and work on phases III and IV areas to tackle the anticipated flood occasioned by heavy rains.
“The council also approved the UTM-Off-Shore limited for the state to invest in floating liquefied natural gas projects to create jobs, a private sector driving investment is worth investing in, given the enormous natural gas in our state.
On his part, Gbe, explaining the parameters for preparing the proposed budget, said that the state adopted the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and the Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP), according to the Fiscal Responsibility Law 2020.
According to him, “having secured approval of the state council for MTEF and FSP, it will also be taking to the State House of Assembly for approval before we can commence the process of distributing envelops to the ministries, departments and agencies.
“What I recommend as Commissioner for Economic planning is for us to spend a total of N388 billion for 2022 as against the N38 billion for 2021. However, the council, after deliberations, increased the 2022 budget to N485 billion.
“On the macroeconomic indicators, we deliberately adopted the Federal Government MTEF and FSP; the planned reasoning oil to be sold at US$ 57 per barrel, daily production of oil as 1.88 million barrels per day and an exchange rate of N410 per dollar”.
He noted that the internally generated revenue for the first half of 2021 was N35 billion, adding that the state would embark on aggressive revenue drive to fund the 2022 budget to shore the IGR up from the target of about N61 billion in 2021 to N75 billion next year.
He said that with the expected statutory allocation, IGR, grants from donor agencies, and intervention programmes, the state would try to scale down net financing. It may not need to borrow much to finance the budget.
According to him, the projection is that the capital expenditure should be higher that the recurrent expenditure in the ratio of 56 to 44 distribution.
Also, Ochonogor explained that the council approved a pilot scheme project for low housing development plans in three locations; Owa-Oyibu, Kwale and Ozoro where the state government has secured land for the projects.
He appealed to communities, particularly those in the central senatorial district, to make lands available to the government without asking for compensation to facilitate the construction of such low-cost housing schemes in their areas.
He said that the ministry of housing also secured approval to urgently complete and deliver the needed facilities at the newly-established three universities to enable them take off smoothly.

Agriculture pivot for economic growth

Delta develops one-stop-shop agro-industrial park

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Moses Uwagbale

Delta Commissioner for Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu, says the state is developing a one-stop-shop Agro-Industrial Park to diversify the its economy beyond oil.

Aniagwu, stated this in a statement from the ministry of information in Asaba.

Aniagwu who had earlier inspected the Agro-Industrial Park at Aboh-Ogwashi in Aniocha South Local Government Area of the state, said agricultural reforms was part of the SMART agenda of the Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa led administration.

He said that the project was one of the serious efforts of Government geared toward diversification of the state’s economy.

“You will recall that during our electioneering campaign in our first tenure, Governor  Okowa came out with an acronym “SMART” Agenda in which includes Agricultural reforms and accelerated industrialisation.

“Government after governments had continued to preach diversification without doing much in that direction.

“The development of the Agro-Industrial Park is a step toward diversification of the state’s economy beyond oil revenues.

“Because we have a comparative advantage in agriculture in Delta the governor deemed it fit to set up this Agro-Industrial Park and with the high-powered Committee you will realise that it is not a tea party.

“It will benefit all citizens of the state irrespective of their location because everybody involved in agricultural production can bring their products for processing.

“This project is a very good step in diversifying the economy through the Agricultural sector’’,  Aniagwu said.

The Chairman, Implementation Committee, Prof. Eric Eboh, said the project inspection was designed to assess the state of work in relation to overall work plan of the project.

He said that the project went through rigorous feasibility, appraisal and analysis both national and international process with over three foreign banks competing to fund the project.

“As you are already aware the Agro-Industrial Park is one of the major flagships of the Okowa administration.

“The project went through international validation by three banks as viable and self-sustaining and by the time the project kicks off, the agricultural value chain will never be the same again in Delta.

“It is meant to be a game changer and a one-stop shop for agro processing for domestic consumption and export in Delta.

“The project which started in October has 18 months completion timeline and the Ogwashi-Uku dam was one of the key criteria for the location of the Agro-Industrial Park,” Eboh said.

Earlier, the Project Consultant, Mr  Kester Ifeadi, said the idea for the project started three years ago.

He said the land comprises of 220 hectares with 100 hectares of rice farm as the anchor project.

He assured that there would be constant electricity and water supply in the park.

“There was a feasibility study carried out and the present site was chosen as most suitable because of the water bodies in the area.

“The central portion is the engine room for commercial plots of 1.5 hectares of land for agro industrial investments.

“The Park Centre which is the life blood and the epicentre of the Agro-Industrial Park will have the rice plant, warehouses, residential, hospitality, conferences, trainings, seminars, research and quality control laboratory.

“There is a lake of 1.4 cubic meters of water to sustain the project all year round including the dam that has the  potential to generate electricity to jump start the project.

“To ensure the sustainability of the project, it will be private sector driven by the Delta State Agro-Industrial Park Ltd’’,  Ifeadi said.

power-supply

Delta goes for $40m power transmission tower

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By Anthony Areh

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta has performed the ground-breaking for the 40 million dollars (about N15.2 billion) power transmission tower manufacturing industry in the state.

The governor performed the function at the project site at KM 25, Asaba-Benin Expressway, Isele-Uku, Aniocha North Local Government Area of the state.

He said the project was a public private partnership initiative between DELFRASCO Industries Ltd and the state.

He lauded Issele-Uku community for its support and cooperation with the state government, and commended the project partners, Delta Investment and Development Agency (DIDA), for commitment and tenacity.

“The location of this industry demonstrates your confidence in Project Nigeria, while giving fillip to our administration’s industrialisation drive.

“It is my earnest expectation that this project will flourish, and that God will reward you abundantly for taking the bull by the horns.

“Upon completion, this will be Nigeria’s and indeed, Africa’s first and largest multi-industry local content industrial complex, providing products and services to power, oil and gas, telecoms, agriculture and other industries.

“Major customers are expected to include Transmission Company of Nigeria, Nigeria LNG Train seven Projects, EPC Contractors in Energy and Infrastructure Projects and telecommunication infrastructure providers.

“It is envisaged to meet the present and future demands for tower manufacturing in Nigeria as well as the whole of Africa, and contribute positively to the socio-economic development of Delta  and Nigeria,” Okowa said.

He said that when completed, the industry would position Delta as a hub for production of power technology and equipment, adding that it would be the first in Africa.

“I specially appreciate the board and management of DELFRASCO, for this bold initiative. It takes a lot of faith and courage to venture into manufacturing in an economy that is mired in turbulence as we have experienced in recent times.

“The location of the industry here, demonstrates your confidence in Project Nigeria; it is my earnest expectations that the project will flourish and that God will reward you abundantly for taken the bull by the horns.

“I commend the project team in Nigeria, Indian and the United Kingdom, who are collaborating with DELFRASCO, the project promoter, to ensure that this project gets off the ground.

“When fully operational,  it will improve the economy of the state and the nation, create jobs and contribute to revenue generation to the local government, state and the Federal Government, as well as generate foreign exchange for the country,” he said.

Earlier, Chief Chukwuma Okolo, Project Chairman, DELFRASCO, said that the project would be completed in 2022.

According to him, the industry will engage in manufacturing of power transmission towers, world class research and training facilities.

“It will manufacture hot dip galvanising plant as well as ensure transmission tower testing which is currently done abroad.

“This is a world class project, first in Africa and when completed, will create employment for youths, generate and save much foreign exchange used in purchasing the power facilities from abroad for Nigeria,” he said.

He thanked the Federal Government and the Central Bank of Nigeria for giving a boost to the investment through policies and financing programme for the real sector.

Okolo, also appreciated Okowa and all its partners within and outside the country for their commitment and resolve to ensure the projects came to fruition.

He said, “the first phase of the industry will be ready in the first quarter of 2022, while the entire project will be delivered before the end of 2022”.

The Chairman, DIDA, Mr Paul Nmah, said that the project ground-breaking was a product of various negotiations in line with the Smart Agenda of the Okowa led administration to build the state’s economy.

He, however, disclosed that the project was worth 40 million dollars, adding that when completed,  it would positively impact the internally generated revenue of the local, state and  Federal governments.

He said the state government had put plans in place to de-risk the project by putting its equity contribution to it.

In a goodwill message, the President General, Issele-Uku, Chief Kenneth Ofordili, thanked the governor and the investors for the project and pledged their commitment to protect and ensure that the project thrived.

The high point of the ceremony was the laying of the foundation stone by Okowa which was witnessed by the deputy governor, Kingsley Otuaro, traditional rulers among other dignitaries.

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