Delta State government has debunked the accusation of exhibiting lukewarm attitude towards the realization of Okpai Power Plant, a federal government project, by Senator Ned Nwoko, the Senator representing Delta North at the National Assembly.
This was disclosed in a statement by a major stakeholder and state commissioner for Finance, Chief Fidelis Okenmor Tilije, on Friday, while responding to a blame game that has kept oil-rich Ndokwa/Ukwuani federal constituency in darkness for decades, despite hosting 480 megawatt facility that is feeding Aso Rock, Abuja and other parts of the country.
Chief Tilije, while correcting the impression of utter neglect of the federal constituency by Senator Nwoko in a virile video, during his consultative meeting at Ezionum in Ukwuani LGA of the state, said, “His Excellency, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, I know, can never tell anybody that he is paying down debt; therefore, he is not in a position to fund genuine beneficial projects for this state.
“It is impossible, because as the Honourable Commissioner of Finance in the state, I know the state of the state’s treasury, as inherited and as it is today. There is no government all over the world that does not borrow. There is nothing wrong with borrowing, because it is the cheapest source of funding projects, particularly beneficial ones at that,” he stated.
He further said, “The relationship between the federal and state governments is not known by outsiders, except if you are involved. For instance, we have attempted to repair the very bad road between the Summit junction in Asaba and the head bridge leading into Anambra State and the Eku-UUmutu Road to no avail. Just attempt to put a truck there, and you will see the reactions of Federal Government Engineers.
“The Ogawshi-Uku Dam suffers the same faith. In fact, the state has a multi-billion-naira Agricultural Park along that corridor, hoping to use the dam for irrigation, but we are yet to access possession of the dam from the Federal Government till date.
“All this information was made available to Senator Ned Nwoko directly by me before this diatribe. In any case, anybody who wants to further audit the finances, borrowings of the state, and its utilization is free to pick up the audit accounts and deal with it.
“Without being immodest, I do not represent Ukwuani (local government, his place of origin) per se), but my imprint is easily seen in Ukwuani LGA. Secondly, if you must know, I have not made my living from politics.
“If you are as genuine as you seem, please tell me what we, as Ndokwans, have benefited from the Senator since he assumed office. Are we now being told that the reasons for the quest for the creation of Anioma State are the Okpai and Ogwashi projects and the repaying of state loans? Haba!”
“Clearly, you do not expect the Governor to address this on all (social media) platforms. I am not denying for the governor. I went to discuss Ned’s presentation with him, one-on-one, and he told me face-to-face that he did not at any point discuss this issue with Ned at all. Ask me who I will believe. I will believe the governor, because I have had better and more meaningful discussions with him.
“Furthermore, I also discussed with the Commissioner for Energy, who told me he had never met with Ned on any issue at all. In any case, nobody in the government of Delta State has seen and/or known how Ned came about the N35 billion bill of quantities as costs of the stepdown.
“Would any reasonable mind believe that any governor in Nigeria will disburse N35 billion directly to a third party without Executive Council approval?” he added.
He also challenged the Senator’s aides who are in doubt to, “”Please request your principal to post the BOQ of the step-down scope and costs as soon as possible as a starting point. God bless”, he noted.
Ironically, Ndokwa/Ukwuani federal constituency, with the highest gas reserve in West Africa, has continued to remain largely at the butt of underdevelopment as the two elephants continue their battle supremacy.
For starters, the first phase of the IPP project in Okpai in Ndokwa East, whose work started in 2002, was inaugurated by then President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2005, with the capacity to generate 480 megawatts of electricity.
It is equally interesting to note that Senator Nwoko had on March 7, 2024, moved a motion on the floor of the Senate asking the IPP Joint Venture partners—the Federal Government, represented by NNPCL, Agip (now Oando), and Conoco—to complete the step-down project.
For the people of the affected constituency, what should concern all is how to end the delay in distributing the 100 megawatts of electricity from the IPP.
For the record, the Member representing Ndokwa/Ukwuani Federal Constituency, Hon. Nnamdi Ezechi, who has been very vocal, fighting and championing the course of why he was elected,.
