OSHIMILI/NIGERIA: Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State has many illustrious sons and daughters who have distinguished themselves in so many spheres of life across the nation and abroad.
One of such icons, is a distinguished personality, and current Chairman of Oshimili North LGA who has shown focused leadership and commitment to the well-being of his people.
From the rural and humble beginning, Hon. Chief Innocent Ifeanyichukwu Esewezie, has always been a unifier with sterling leadership qualities. A bridge builder to the old and new, an astute politician and grassroots mobilizer, remains one of the leading lights who passionately drove his transformational agenda for the good people of Oshimili North LGA.
What more? his administration has embarked on several developmental initiatives and impactful governance aimed at attaining specific goals. These are briefly stated below in fulfillment of his earlier pledge to deliver the dividends of democracy to his people.
> Youths empowerment: The Democratic Agenda of his administration has given a sense of belonging to a considerable number of Youths in Oshimili North through Direct Labour and appointments. Under his aegis, this programme has impacted skills and enhanced Youths participation in governance and curbed all forms of youth restiveness in the community
. > Infrastructure: The building of the Executive Complex in Oshimili North Local Government Secretariat, Akwukwu-igbo has enhanced service delivery and efficient working environment for workers
> Economy: The Council constituted an Economic Development and Investment Team (EDIT) to change the narrative of sole dependence on Statutory Federal Allocation and poor Internally Generated Revenue profile of the Council.
The EDIT Team was inaugurated on 9th July 2021 at Akwukwu–Igbo, the Local Government headquarters, to run a knowledge driven and all inclusive administration that would reposition the Council for better service delivery.
The Leadership of the Local Government therefore, charged the team to identify and explore alternative sources of revenue for the execution of projects and programmes aimed at enhancing the socio – economic well-being of the people. The Economic Team is comprised of Captains of industries and prominent personalities who have made their mark both in government and business. The Team’s terms of reference include:
> Identify initiatives that will lead to job creation for youths of the Community.
> Identify Private Public Partnership projects and potential investors for the
Council.
> identify commercial and industrial stock initiatives in the areas of market
Development, investment in agro – allied business, micro credit schemes,
transport
And logistics businesses, among others.
>Oshimili North Local Government Liaison Office Ibusa: The liaison office is a two in one project aimed at generating revenue for the council and ameliorating the stress and hardship of the people of Ibusa and environs, who coincidentally make up 50% of the LGA. The Liaison Office was specifically built to help those from distant places work seamlessly thereby reducing transport cost and many other exigencies.
In addition to that, the Liaison Office also provides the council the opportunity to generate revenue through Ezebogoani multi-purpose hall, an ultramodern Event Centre which has the capacity to accommodate minimum of 500 people.
>The Front gate area: Ushers a sense of attraction and ownership to the Local Government Office as the seat of Power. This initiative is to reflect aesthetic values, and Government presence in a widely recognized standard, different from the old fashioned front view in Akwukwu-Igbo.
> A justifiable approach to settlement: Intermediating between Herdsmen and the people to ensure conflict resolutions and peaceful coexistence.
> Know your Rider Initiative
In their quest to salvage the incessant attacks by motorcycle and tricycle riders, his administration found it necessary to embark on a security program known as ‘Operation Know Your Rider’. This initiative also reduced the incidence of unlawful snatching of valuables by hoodlums. The use of both valid identification and data collated in print and electronic medium also helped to deal with such nefarious activities in the community.
> Educational board: His administration established various Boards to look into the existing challenges in the educational systems, health, works, and coppers welfare. It was also saddled with the responsibility of controlling and managing resources and many other variables in the council.
> Market Inspection: Within one year of his administration, it became necessary to inspect the markets in the various communities and also ensure the environment are befitting and conducive for trading and other commercial activities.
> Meetings: The Meetings with community heads to ensure the yearnings of the various community under Oshimili North is validly considered. This decision was part of his mandate to ensure that government’s presence is felt in all the communities of the Local Government.
A good example is the UKALA WATER AND BOLE HOLE PROJECT, READY FOR COMMISSIONING. This remains one of the foremost legacy projects that his administration is committed to provide for the Community.
>Security:: Owing to past altercations, security personnel were engaged to ensure safety of lives and properties for all citizens in Oshimili North.
>Empowerment of Farmers: Most of the communities in Oshimili North Local Government Area are predominantly farmers and to this end, the Council empowered selected farmers drawn from the various communities with pesticides, cassava stems, fertilizers, yam seedlings and other farming needs to help boost their agri-business.
> Establishment of Oshimili North Youth Development Program Committee.
In a bit to engage and advance the activities of youths in the community, his administration has established a committee that has provided starter packs and collated data of all youths in their various categories. These engagement has helped to alleviate poverty and other social vices among youths in the community.
The programme is drawn from the Ibusa Youth Development Programme (IYDP) which was launched years ago.
In the words of the Senior Political Adviser, Rt. Hon. Solomon Funkekeme, who represented the former Delta State Governor, His Excellency, Sen. Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, “IYDP combines a scientific methodology in the fight against unemployment and restiveness?” The statement can’t be more correct when you look at how it operates. The most thrilling of the programme is the fact that it does not entirely depends on the government for solution, but also on private individuals and the Community.
IYDP was a community based data driven Programme which involves data gathering, training, mentor ship and empowerment of the youths. Its emergence will break new grounds especially if it is successfully replicated by the Local Government in all the towns and communities in and around Delta State.
> UGBOLU ULTRA MODERN MARKET IN PROGRESS. The Council under his leadership has found it worthy to establish an Ultra-Modern Market befitting of an International Standard that will attract both foreign and Local Investors to the Community..
The Chairman during one of his interactions with journalist said “This market is uniquely important to us as it is domiciled in the heart of the Local Government Area which gives Opportunity for other communities to meet their treasures. My administration is confident that in the nearest years, the market will become competitive with the famous Onitsha Market’’.
>INAUGURATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL SANITATION TASK FORCE
With the knowledge that cleanliness is next to Godliness, his administration inaugurated a task force unit to ensure strict compliance of environmental sanitation in the markets and other parts of the community.
> DISTRIBUTION OF MOSQUITO NET.
His administration in recent time, flagged off a net advocacy campaign programme aimed at eradicating the spread of malaria in the community. This advocacy afforded families, the opportunity of sleeping with medically treated Mosquito nets.
> 6 DAYS FREE MEDICAL TREATMENT:
A full-scaled medical outreach was organized in various parts of the communities, where close to 1000 persons were treated on various ailment.
The medical outreach was done by the Council in collaboration with the Heart Doctors Humanitarian from Greece.
Esewezie’s led administration had also embarked on other strategies aimed at sustaining specific legacy projects, which include the following:
> Building of Modern Executive Complex Akwukwu Igbo
> Front Porch of the Local Government Council, Akwukwu Igbo
> Oshimili North Liaison Office, Ibusa
> Modern Multipurpose Hall for Revenue Generation
> Agro-pack Empowerment Program
> Evacuation of Drainage at Okpanam and Ibusa Communities.
> Building of Modern Executive Complex Akwukwu Igbo
> Front Porch of the Local Government Council, Akwukwu Igbo
> Oshimili North Liaison Office, Ibusa.
Other ongoing projects include: The ultra-Modern Ogbolu Market with over 400 shops, Illah Modern Market Akukwu-igbo Modern hall, employment of over 130 teaching and non-teaching staff and many others.
This publication is a brief account of the monumental strides of Esewezie’s administration to deliver the dividends of democracy to the good people of Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State.
Subsequent edition will x-ray some of the challenges faced, success stories recorded and many other life time legacy projects of his administration.
