QUESTION….YOUR PROFILE SIR
ANSWER……. MY name is Dr Awele Nwabuokei Am a sociologist and a
rural development agent , I worked with the Federal Government of
Nigeria for 35 years , retired in May 2018, I started work in 1983, I
worked in Ministry of Labour, Defence, I was assigned to go for
committee work on Petroleum pricing, PPPRC as it was called then , I
retired from the Agency having added to my years in service, prior to
that, I had 35 years in service when I disengaged in May this year
the governor deemed it fit to get me close to his government and
appointed me Special Assistant to his office on Special duties , that
the assignment I have now we want to see what we can do to add value
to his Excellency the Governor of Delta state Senator Dr Ifeanyi
Authur Okowa who has been a marvelous person to work with
Qurstion…..What would you say has been the achievements of the Governor so far
ANSWER… As I said I got into the administration of Delta state in
June 2018 , this is August , I just has barely two months in service
, am still trying to acquaint myself with the work but so far within
my environment I rate the governor 95 percent , he has done so much
well, I attribute the ratings to the number of roads especially in
Delta North, In as much as some of them are being ascribed to NDDC ,
EVEN before now NDDC has existed, if NDDC had been existing before
now, those roads would have done they were not done then, why are
they been done now, so the governor could also have influenced
bringing the job to the Region, We aalso have a Senator who is in NDDC
committee, a lot of roads are being opened, developments coming , but
there are also challenges, Salaries are not been paid or not fully
paid, the question is are we moving forward, if we are moving forward
can we encourage the governor to do better, that is why I subscribe my
personality to assist him to encourage him to do better, he has shown
vision, he has shown commitment, he has shown desire and he has shown
that zeal to get things done.
Question….. what would you advise him to do differently now, that you
are on Board
ANSWER….. WHAT I WOULD WANT TO ADVISE HIM TO DO DIFFERENYLY IS like
he is doing opening the political sphere because definitely a number
of intellect are never taking politics seriously and that created a
big gap between the people and the led, so I think we need to really
get involved with politics, then narratives will begin to change,
personalities will begin to decide the events and that comes. If I
have left a service and I have a earning of over two million naira
every month, why will I be going to a meeting to fight for two hundred
thousand or five hundred thousand naira that comes a month, I should
be able to say no, this is not what my value is. Thanking all the
political structures because if they were not in existence, we will
not be able to be absolved , however we were absolved be they want us
to see how I can assist them to dot the ‘I’ and cross the ‘t’ so
that development will be easier for our people. We are talking with
the governor, I know that he is a taking note and a lot of things
will really be on the table during his second term. He need a lot of
resources a lot of Energy to be able to get all these ideas on board
because he need time to do that. That’s why he told me look Awele I
just want you to be in the government , I may not be given you a
befitting appointment now but please hang around me lets see how we
can cross the bridge. When we cross the bridge we will do better in
the second term.
Question ….what will you be advising the people of Delta state in
choosing the next governor come 2019.
ANSWER….. I THINK I want to tell our people to look back to where we
are coming from, if within three years someone has done over 260
roads what do you think he will do in the next additional your years
, if within three years we have a state capital development Agency
which never existed since the creation of the state, why cant we now
empower the state capital to be well developed, if we are seeing what
the drainage master plan is all about why wont we be grateful to say
look this man yes, you are given us a place in the committee of
Nations on state development, I don’t think we have had it good this
way, YES we may have it better because there is room for improvement ,
but so far so good. He Has been able to show the masterpiece , he
has been able to show leadership , he has been able to show vision,
courage and knowing fully well of how he got through to be able to
become the governor of the state , I think yea some people may not
like him because they felt power would have changed from a particular
block but the block that has the governorship now should be grateful
to God because we wouldn’t have been having it this way and am sure
that the next election we would do better, the state would have
better recognition out of good leadership