Okowa, Uduaghan Mull Revival of Warri, Koko Seaports
Omon- Julius Onabu Despite the huge financial outlay of making them functional, a comprehensive dredging of the Warri river to pave the way for the revitalisation of Koko and Warri Ports came to the fore at the town hall meetings held by the Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, with the people of Warri North and Warri South Local Government Areas held in Koko and Warri respectively, yesterday.
Speaking during the meetings, Okowa revealed that his administration was working with relevant authorities to see that the seaports in Warri and Koko are properly dredged to make them optimally functional.
He noted that making the ports more active would bring a lot of economic benefits to the people of the state and Nigeria.
According to Okowa, “The cost of dredging the ports is alarming, but we are exploring different opportunities for the ports to be functional.”
Others who spoke during the town hall meetings also harped on the possible economic regeneration the revival of the two of the apparently very strategic ports in the state could trigger.
Also, former governor of the state, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, stated that it was important for the seaports to be made functional, noting that while Koko has free trade status, “the Koko Port is deep but the channel is shallow.”
Meanwhile, Okowa has said the health insurance scheme was designed for Deltans to have easy access to health facilities, assuring the people that the health centres in the areas would be made functional because of their importance to the people at the grassroots.
He also explained that his administration was constructing markets despite the fact that market construction falls within the purview of local government councils, and “because the local government councils do not have the capacity for some modern markets, “we construct the markets and hand over to the councils to manage.”
The governor also explained that due to high cost of scholarship for Deltans who wants to carry out their post-graduate studies outside the country, his administration has worked out a model for such students to be given scholarship to study in the country as it was more cost- effective to do so.
During yesterday’s town hall meetings with the people, the governor reiterated the efforts of his administration to spread development to every nook and cranny of the state through equitable distribution of physical communication and other infrastructure.
The governor, who was accompanied by his Deputy, Mr. Kingsley Otuaro, and top government officials, assured the people of consistent efforts to make potable water available to more people and communities, urging the people to embrace the compulsory health insurance scheme.
Among the projects inaugurated last Tuesday were the Iwere College road, access road to Awaritse Industrial Park, Obite-Ugbo and Korobe roads in Warri North Local Government Area, among others.