The Secretary to the Delta State Government (SSG), Festus Ovie Agas, last week publicly queried and took a swipe at some commissioners and governor Ifeanyi Okowa’s aide over their lateness to a public function which took place in his office.
The function, which was the signing of a Joint Venture Agreement between the Delta State government, Norsworthy Investment Limited and the Technical Partners, Mirai Technology Limited at the office of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), forced the SSG to take on the officials with the lackadaisical attitude in which they arrived the event behind time schedule.
Apparently disturbed with the lateness of the Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mr. Austin Chikezie, his counterpart in Commerce and Industry, Mrs. Mary Iyasere, Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General, Mr. Peter Mrakpor, his counterpart in Hosing, Mr. Joseph Ogeh and the Executive Assistant to the governor on Delta State Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency (DMSMA), Bello Shimite to the programme which was slated for 8:45am, Mr. Agas told them the need to always respect time.
“The need to respect time, the need to show seriousness. I want to plead that in future if an assignment, a ceremony or a programme is scheduled for 8:45, we must live by example. It doesn’t tell well of us when an appointment is fixed for 8:45 and partners are here as early as 8:30 and we walk in leisurely at about 5 mimnutes past 9, I don’t think it sends good signals to this side”. Agas said.
However, according to the SSG, the signing of the Joint Venture Agreement was a significant one by implication, saying “Agriculture as our real oil. That is, Delta State is endowed with a lot of arable land and other natural resources and among other things; agriculture was the way to go”.
He listed the benefits of the Agro-Industrial Park to include the provision of employment for Deltans, provides technological learning through the facilities and to attract other forms of investments in and around Ogwashi-Uku and the state, he disclosed that both partners have the experience, relevant skills and training to handle the programme.
“We as a state, we are very optimistic and we look forward to the successful execution of this programme”.
Also speaking, the Chief Job Creation Officer in the state, Eric Eboh, told the partners that the Agro-Industrial Park was the brainchild of the governor, geared towards developing agricultural value chain in the state via Agro Industrialization.
Mr. Eboh said the governor immediately constituted an Inter-Agency Committee on 15 February 2016 to plan and coordinate the Agro-Industrial Park initiative which includes the feasibility study and preparation of business plan which were also completed in August 2016.
“The completion of that report coincided with the Silver Jubilee Anniversary of the creation of Delta State. Thereafter, the feasibility report and business plan were subjected to rigorous technical revisions and validation of the project site, profile and the business model as well as the financing plan”.
He explained that the processes were done by the Committee on Agro-Industrial Park closely with the economic management team, “and this was done to ensure financial profitability, economic viability and overall project sustainability”.
In their separate remarks, Chairman, Norsworthy Investment, Gabriel Ogbechie and the Technical Partners Mirai Technology Limited who was represented by Mr. Roy Tal, thanked the state governor for the laudable project.
“We consider ourselves to be privileged to be part of this project. We are passionate about investing in Delta State, we are happy that we have been chosen to key into this project of not only developing Delta State but also creating jobs for the community”, Ogbechie said.
“It is a very important moment in the launch of the Agro-Industrial Park, it is a key element in the economic reform of Delta government. The park will facilitate investments, create jobs and develop the agricultural sector. We are very proud to be partners with Delta government, it will set an example for other states in Nigeria”, Roy Tal stated.
