By Emeke Alexander
A foremost aspirant in the 2023 governorship race in Delta State, Chief James Augoye has said that the next administration in the state come 2023 should not only consolidate on the successes of the administration of Dr Ifeanyi Okowa but, should be able to transcend them, if not in all the sub-sectors.
Augoye, a two-time Commissioner for Works stated this in a paper titled “Delta Beyond 2023” at the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Delta Broadcasting Service, Warri Chapel lectures and awards held at Casa De Pedro Annex Hotel Hall, Effurun in Delta State.
Augoye, whose paper was presented by his media aide, Mr Obaro Egagifo said, “It would be a monumental setback for a new administration to ruin the legacy on the ground through poor policy thrust and administrative ineptitude of the state government.
“Great empires in history have fallen to unfortunate retrogressions as a result of the poor planning and execution of the policy direction of such empires.
“Without casting aspersions on his predecessors, Governor Okowa has positively transformed the socioeconomic, political and cultural essences of the state beyond our expectations within the past six years of his administration in the state with yet a stronger vision of leaving a lasting legacy in 2023 when he would have completed his second term in office as the state governor.
“It is not expected to start doing a sectoral analysis of his monumental developmental efforts today, but I am particularly happy to be part of his success story as a two-time Commissioner for Works, a sector that endeared him so much to Deltans through massive construction and rehabilitation of roads and bridges, linking the various communities, including the riverine areas, in the state.
“It was for that he was given the sobriquet, “The Road Master”. That sector is an index of his developmental milestones in all the sub-sectors of the state economy.”
Dwelling on key areas such as industrialisation, tourism, security of lives and property and health, which should be given priority attention by the next administration in the state, Augoye emphasised that: “What must not be encouraged is wasteful spending on any project that would not benefit the people.
“Such unfortunate misplaced priority would not only drawback the hand of the clock of development in the state, but would definitely estrange those in governance to the governed; it would make the state government forfeit the trust and confidence of the people and could easily lead to the withdrawal of their loyalty and support.
“And we all should know the danger inherent in such a situation of a gap between Government and the people. Therefore, the policy thrust of the state government should continue to reflect the aspirations and expectations of the people at all times.”
In conclusion, the Okpe born politician posited that: “Governance is not a one-way traffic; it is a two-way matrix between the government and the governed. A greater Delta State beyond 2023 is achievable when there are constant interfaces between the two divides in governance.
“There is always the need to be accountable and responsive on the part of the government while the people should reciprocate the good intention of the government towards them by carrying out their civic responsibilities in a committed disposition towards the advancement of the state. This I hope we would all witness in Delta beyond 2023.”
