Gov. Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta on Thursday, directed State Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to evolve programmes that would ameliorate economic hardship in the state.
The State Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads) and Public Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu, disclosed this at a news conference in Asaba.
According to Aniagwu, the relevant MDAs, include the Office of the Chief Jobs Creation, the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community and Social Development, Ministry of Youth Development and the Ministry of Science and Technology.
“The programmes will provide business support, new skills and other forms of empowerment to enable beneficiaries to become economically productive.”
The commissioner said the measures became necessary to cushion the effects of economic hardship and boost purchasing power of residents through infrastructure development, workers’ welfare, empowerment programmes and strategic investments.
“The programmes will stimulate economic activity at the grassroots and ensure that the benefits of ongoing economic reforms will be felt directly by households.
“The state’s improved financial position has enabled the government to undertake major capital projects, while deliberately deploying resources to stimulate local economic activity rather than fuel inflation.”
Aniagwu said the planned massive renovation of schools across the state were part of the strategy, saying that the projects would create opportunities for contractors, artisans, suppliers and traders in local communities.
“The materials such as cement and roofing sheets will largely be sourced locally, ensuring that government expenditure circulated within the communities where the projects were being executed.
“It will create a multiplier effect through increased earnings and household spending,” he said.
He said that the state government is working to institutionalise the proposed payment of a 13th-month salary through legislation.
He said the initiative was not intended as indiscriminate distribution of funds but as a deliberate intervention to increase the disposable income of civil servants and stimulate economic activity.
“Once this fund gets to the hands of the civil servants, that civil servant is also enabled to spend money in certain directions.
“That way, government will be able to take the benefit of the reforms from the macro level to the micro level,” Aniagwu said.
He said the administration would continue to invest in road construction as its economic stimulation strategy.
“Roads connecting communities and opening up economic corridors will reduce transportation difficulties, facilitate the movement of goods and services and create a more conducive environment for businesses,” he said.
He said the state government is also pursuing investment opportunities arising from its economic and investment summit.
“Efforts are being put in place to attract investment in the production of poultry feed and other agricultural inputs,” he said.
He said this would reduce the amount of capital leaving the state to procure such materials from other parts of the country, while creating employment and business opportunities for farmers and investors.
The commissioner said the government’s improved revenue position and liquidity would not be used for indiscriminate spending but channelled into projects and programmes capable of stimulating sustainable economic growth.
Aniagwu added that the administration’s investments cut across education, healthcare, roads, housing and empowerment, with the ultimate objective of making residents more financially resilient.
He cited the construction of additional residential quarters for medical personnel, particularly doctors, as part of efforts to improve public services and address brain drain in the health sector.
He said a decent accommodation would help retain critical personnel and improve healthcare delivery in the state.
Aniagwu acknowledged the economic difficulties associated with the removal of fuel subsidy and other reforms at the federal level but said the state government is determined to mitigate their impact on residents.
He noted that while some of the reforms might have been necessary, their implementation could produce unintended consequences and “grey areas” requiring intervention.
“We are convinced that efforts are also being made to address those grey areas, just as we are doing in Delta, so that the benefit of this removal can move beyond the macro level and come to the micro level,” he said.
He urged the people not to allow their present economic difficulties to determine their expectations of the future, stressing that the government’s programmes were designed to create a path toward greater economic stability. (NAN)
