The wife of Delta state governor, Tobore Oborewvori ultra-modern event centre in the Oko community in the Oshimili south council area on Monday amidst jubilation by the riverine people for having a befitting place for social events.
The 500-capacity centre was built by the Oshimili South Local Government Council chaired by Dr Kelvin Ezenyili son of the community.
The governor’s wife also flagged off a N50 million empowerment programme for 500 persons, with each beneficiary receiving the sum of N100,000.
She equally flagged off the distribution of 220 bags of rice to all the wards in the local government, with each ward receiving 20 bags.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Delta first lady charged the people to protect and preserve the event centre which has come to ease their stress in looking for a comfortable space for social gatherings.
She commended the executive chairman of the council, Dr Kelvin Obi Ezenyili for his outstanding achievements which she said have earned him more respect.
While praying that God would continue to use her husband as governor to do more for the state, Deaconess Oborevwori charged the beneficiaries of the empowerment package to show love to their neighbours.
In his welcome address, chairman of the council, Dr Ezenyili, said the building of the facility has become necessary to give the people of the community a befitting place for social events.
He said the initiative to construct the event centre was born out of the desire for community, infrastructural development and developmental governance.
The chairman said the provision of the amenity fully fitted with state-of-the-art equipment, has brought succour to the entire people of the Oko community who travel outside places to hold their meetings and other social gatherings due to its unavailability in the area.
He said the community had not had it so good in the past, but because of their nature as peace-loving people, “they have been steadfast in supporting us as a government.
“And more so, this community is a food basket, as farming is mostly the mainstay of the indigenes of this community. So it will be out of place if they are also not remembered with the provisions of dividends of democracy, at least to create a warm and embracing feeling in their hearts.”
On the cash empowerment, the chairman stated that the council decided to carry out the programme to give the great people of Oshimili South a sense of belonging by creating a window of opportunity through democratic dividends by inclusiveness.
“This programme we believe, will address the problem of youth restiveness and ensure they are properly engaged.
“The youths of today, they say are the leaders of tomorrow. It is time to equip these would-be leaders of tomorrow so that the older ones will live in an environment devoid of any threat or fear of attack or disturbance from them.
” As the saying goes, ‘A hungry man is an angry man’. We should not blame the youths if we refuse to address their yearnings.”
The chairman highlighted some remarkable achievements made in the first tenure in office including amongst others the inauguration of an advisory council committee, the purchase of a 500KVA standby generator to provide uninterrupted power supply to the secretariat and partnering
with the private sector to improve the infrastructural development of councils’ land by revamping/reconstructing the local government staff quarters (Oshimili homes).
Others include providing palliatives for flood victims, redesigning reconstructing, and refurbishing of the executive complex of Oshimili South local government council, constructing and furnishing of Oshimil South legislative complex, restoration of power through the repairs of the transformer and off setting 50% of the outstanding electricity bill at the Ogbeogonogo modern market.
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