Governor Ifeanyi Okowa on Thursday commissioned the first ever Warri South Local Government Area lodge in Delta State built by the Dr. Michael Tidi-led administration.
The newly-built state-of-the-art Warri South Local Government lodge contains 5 Bedrooms, a library, a conference room and a modern befitting kitchen and facilities (utensils) with top-notch finishing and perfect landscaping.
Okowa, who spoke during the colourful ceremony spiced by various cultural dances from the Itsekiri and Urhobo cultural groups, which had the Olu of Warri kingdom, Ogiame Atuwatse III, and other top eminent personalities in attendance, urged other local government chairmen in the state to emulate Dr. Tidi.
He said the establishment of a local government chairman’s lodge is a very important edifice that every council area should have because according to him, he believes that every chairman should have a lodge.
Governor Okowa added that if all local government areas in the state have a chairman’s lodge, all the chairmen will be living in their local government areas with their people.
He revealed that he has given instructions to all the council chairmen in the state that they must be accessible to their people all the time, especially between Mondays to Fridays.
“I want to thank you for leaving a legacy behind because when you have a good lodge for the council chairman, they will actually stay in the council. I know that you have only a few months more in this place, but the important thing is that you are leaving behind a lodge that other chairman can truly occupy.
“I believe that the best chairman is that chairman that can be able to sit down and give a listening ear to his people. I say so because I have the opportunity of being an elected local government chairman,” Okowa said.
Okowa also commended Dr. Tidi for paying attention to environmental sanitation in the council, urging him not to relent on his effort, stressing that there is a great improvement in environmental sanitation in the Warri South Council area unlike before.
Governor Okowa said he was also impressed with the entrepreneurial programmes of Dr. Tidi, noting that from what he has seen so far, Dr. Tidi had really keyed into the programmes of the state government
“It’s important to equip our young ones as many as we can within the limit of resources to enable them to have a skill that they can call their own. That is my prayer that those who have been empowered will continue to stay committed to their businesses and to live within the limit of their businesses so that they don’t go about destroying their businesses within a short while.
Earlier, Dr. Tidi, in his welcome address, said the governor’s presence at the ceremony has established his love and close attachment to the people of Warri South.
Dr. Tidi used the opportunity to sincerely congratulate the Governor-elect, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori and his deputy Sir. Monday Onyeme, on their landslide victory at the just concluded gubernatorial election, adding that their success at the election was a testimony of the confidence the people of Delta State have in them and their great party, PDP.
“It may interest you to know that my administration in Warri South Local Government came into being at a time when the local government was in need of credible and purposeful leadership. Leadership that would have the political will of providing the desired road map to lead our people from a condition of despair to hope and prosperity.
“From the inauguration of this administration by His Excellency, the Governor of Delta State, we were determined to deliver dividends of democracy to our people. And my team swung into action with the zeal and determination to uplift the face of the council secretariat and the negative narratives of War.
“The task towards changing the narratives has been very challenging and extremely difficult, but with the encouragement from my political father, His Excellency, the Governor of Delta State, Sen. (Dr.) Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa and of course our trust in God, we are gradually arriving notwithstanding our limited mandate, finances and time”, Dr. Tidi said.
Dr. Tidi reeled out the scorecard of his administration and said the lodge has further enhanced the beauty of the environment and brought the presence of government to the area, stressing that it will also go a long way to boost the economy and social activities of the area.
“As we all know, the main essence of local government is the development of an efficient democratic system of governance at the grass root level.
“This implies a system of government that should be close to the people, a system that is capable of managing local resources/services in a way that will help to raise the living standard of the citizens,” Tidi said.
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