Delta Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, on Tuesday said the multi-billion naira state secretariat named after the Asagba of Asaba, Obi Prof. Chike Edozien, would be inaugurated in the early part of December, 2021.

Okowa made this known in an interview with journalists shortly after inspecting the state-of-the-art facilities at the secretariat and the new technical college in Asaba.

According to him, the secretariat is almost ready; there are still few things to be done, and the consultant handling the project has told me that in three weeks’ time, they will be through with the project.

Expressing delight with the level and quality of work done at the secretariat, the governor said that almost all the floors had been fully furnished.

On the maintenance of the magnificent structure when in use, he said that alternative management service was being worked out to ensure that the secretariat complex stood the test of time.

“We are already working up a process for a management service to ensure that the secretariat is being looked after in such a manner that several years to come, it will still be in a very functional state. We will make sure that before the inauguration, it will be put in place,” he said.

Okowa disclosed that the project would be powered 24 hours by the independent power plant of the state government.

“We give them a few more weeks and we should be able to inaugurate that project in the early part of December.

“The period will give enough room for them to finish the furnishing that they are doing at the moment and also ensure that the place is properly cleaned as well as ensure that the external works which is nearing completion is put to a finish.

“I hope that we should be looking at the early weeks of December to move into the place.

It is a beautiful project and I am glad with what l saw today – almost all the floors are fully furnished.

“I think that the test run has been done in terms of power supply and others and one beautiful thing is that it is powered from the captive power that we have (the independent power plant that supplies power to the Government House and other government offices).

“So, we are guaranteed of a 24-hour power supply which makes it very unique,” the governor said.

On the decision of the state government to name the edifice after Prof. Chike Edozien the governor said the traditional ruler's tenure brought remarkable peace and sustainable development to the state capital.

He emphasised that naming the secretariat after the Asagba of Asaba was part of tribute to him for his belief in the unity of the state.

“I think he is very worthy of it not because he is a professor of medicine and one of the best we have had and it is not because he is the oldest professor of medicine we have today in this country.

“But, as the Asagba of Asaba, it is during his time that we have witnessed some critical changes in the face of Asaba. In his time, we have witnessed a lot of developments in Asaba, and most importantly, peace.

“We have seen a lot of movement of people from other places into Asaba and he has been able to administer the town in such a manner that it has accommodated strangers.

“There is no better administration than that. So, we must give kudos to the man for being able to manage Asaba. He played a lot of role in what we have today as united people,” Okowa explained.

He also said that he was impressed with the level of work so far executed at the Asaba Technical College project, stressing that the nine new technical colleges being executed concurrently by his administration were at various stages of completion.

He disclosed that the Asaba Technical College would be ready for inauguration in the first week of January, 2022, saying: “As for the technical college, I am excited to see what l am seeing. I wished we would have started in this October but the COVID-19 slowed down work.

“From what we are seeing, a lot is being done and we are pushing the contractor to raise funds while we work to see how we can pay him. We hope to start by first week of January, 2022.”

•PHOTO: Delta State Governor, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa (2nd left); his Deputy, Deacon Kingsley Otuaro, (left); Secretary to State Government, Mr. Patrick Ukah (right), the Project Consultant , Prof. Chike Edozien Secretariat Complex, Arch. Kester Ifeadi (2nd right), conducting the Governor round during the Governor’s Inspection of the project in Asaba on Tuesday. PHOTO: JIBUNOR SAMUEL.

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