100 Days In Office: Hon Barr Solomon Possible Ajede’s Scorecard Of Stewardship

In the achievement of great and little feats, it is the collective efforts of people’s resolve and willingness to serve a great course and give our people the best of everything within their capacities that counts.

Upon these premises, I want to unreservedly thank Ukwuani people for coming out in their numbers to cast their votes for me on March 6, 2021 – THANK YOU UKWUANI.

I want to wholeheartedly express my gratitude to His Excellency, Senator Dr Arthur Ifeanyi Okowa for first being a father figure to us all in Delta State and for his relentless commitment to building a stronger Delta – THANK YOU SIR.

May I also specially thank the PDP family in Ukwuani LGA and all my friends indeed, your supports before, during and after the election and since I came on board till date has been massive – I appreciate you.

The journey into our administration has not been without challenges and the mandate given to us to lead has not been without resistance against the progress we are currently managing in the LGA.

On March 6, 2021 you elected me, Solomon Possible Ajede as your Executive Chairman and Mrs Veronica Egbune as your Vice Chairman; since our inaugural ceremony on March 8, 2021 where we both received our certificate of return and took oath of office administered by Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa as witnessed by Deltans and the good people of Ukwuani, we have never relented in finding solutions to the problems highlighted by communities as disturbing to them.

Immediately I resumed duty as the Executive Chairman of the council, I deemed it necessary that we tour round the LGA to say “THANK YOU” to all those who participated in the council general polls and interact with them.

During the THANK YOU VISITS round the wards in the LGA, we had very productive Town Hall meetings and consultations with party hierarchy and community stakeholders – Palace Chiefs, Women, youths, Community Development Unions, religious groups and other recognized community organs and a lot of needs were highlighted.

Suffice to note that, upon my return from my inauguration I stopped over at Umutu, mediated in the unrest that resulted from the overcome of the March 6 election in Ward 1c, Umutu and strategically to the glory of God and the prompt intervention of His Excellency, Sen. Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa that issue was resolved in a win/win manner.

In complementing the “Stronger Delta Agenda” of the state government, I had a developmental blueprint for Ukwuani Local Government which I captioned “STEP-UP UKWUANI AGENDA”, and embedded in that agenda are peace & Security, Environmental Sanitation, Improved Primary Healthcare Services, Education Development, Agriculture Development, Youths and Sports Development and Human Capital Development.

PEACE & SECURITY

When I resumed duty as the Executive Chairman and the Chief Security Officer of the local government there were lots of security challenges here and there; kidnapping, raping and ritual killings were the order of the day across the LGA; as a matter of fact, Ukwuani Local Government was already a security flashpoint but I swung into action immediately by mobilising the vigilantes, Police, DSS and we stormed the hideout of these miscreants, caught some of them which as at today are still in police net.

To the glory of God and the support of His Excellency and the concerted efforts of security agencies in the LGA, it is evident that kidnapping is a thing of the past.

There was also the lingering issue of Fulani Herdsmen menace in our farmlands where they rape, kidnap and scare our women out of their farms. Since I resumed duty, we have had series of meetings which are beginning to yield positive results. Permit me to inform you that, very recently a committee was set up to profile Fulani/Hausa and Herdsmen that are residing in the LGA and this process is aimed at helping the council to keep track on their activities.

We have set up strategic measures to expose kidnappers and those who intend to embark on kidnapping and as earlier stated, the tracking of cattle owners is ongoing and when we eventually see them, they will be made to bear all the lose our people have suffered.

The lives of Ukwuani people are sacrosanct and my administration has decided to ensure that our security agents are on the alert at all times even as we pray to God for his protection upon us all.

It is pertinent to note that for the first time in so many years, my administration was able to intervene in the protracted Obiaruku Community Youth crisis by uniting the factions and conducting a peaceful, successful and first ever free and fair youth election in Obiaruku. Since after the Obiaruku Community Youth election, the council has settled many youth matters which time will fail me to recount here.

Today, there is peace amongst the youths in Obiaruku and thanks to our youth loving Governor, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa for his enduring passion for youth development across the state.

As at today, by the special grace of God, this administration has successfully managed the crisis that has been looming in Ogbe-Uzu/Adonishaka community for the past 4 years. While we are still working out a lasting solution to crisis in that part of the LGA, the council has successfully resolved the over 5-year Onotu-ukuship tussle in Ogwezi, Obiaruku; also different peace committees and stakeholders are currently working round the clock to resolve the lingering Obiaruku Traditional Council divide, Adonishaka Ogbe-Uzu Onotu-ukuship tussle amongst others.

Also, the issue between NURTW (Up National) and DSMCPMP (Up Delta) is currently being midwife by my administration and we are working out a win/win situation for both parties in the interest of peace in the LGA.

We are also gathering vital intelligence in the crisis at Umueziogoli Community in Ebedei clanband very soon Umueziogoli will be one again!

INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT

In line with His Excellency’s giant strides on Infrastructural development across the State, my administration has resolved to key into every aspect of the “Stronger Delta Agenda” of the state government however little and within the limited resources of the council.

The council under my watch has executed some projects in three (3) wards and the groundbreaking exercise of some of the proposed future projects of this administration will be done during the celebration of my 100 days in office.

OBI-OBETI MARKET, OBETI

We have within 2 months turned Obi-Obeti Market to a mini Ultra-Modern market; the market now has sufficient space and standard open stores and lockup stores for traders use; a mini abattoir space has been provided in the market for future use and off course, in line with the Open Defecation Free Delta Campaign of His Excellency’s government, a standard and functional sanitary facility has been provided.

ETHIOPE PRIMARY SCHOOL, UMUTU

As part of my administration’s commitment to revamp primary and basic education in the LGA, my team and I went round some schools and we did on the spot assessment of the facilities; and while we were doing that, the Infrastructural decay at Ethiope Primary School Umutu was literally begging for urgent attention and so, almost without a second thought, the contract was awarded to reconstruct two blocks of 4 & 6 classrooms.

EZHIONUM FARM ROAD CULVERTS

When I got to Ezhionum Kingdom, His Excellency’s massive trademark roads were visible everywhere I turned and so, in order to complement the good works of the governor and granting the yearnings of the people, we commenced the construction of 5 culverts on their major farm road which HRM (Evang) Comr R.C Osanwuta and the community pleaded with the council to assist them with. As at today, I am pleased to inform the Ukwuani people that, all 5 culverts have been completed and they are already in use.

ENVIRONMENTAL SANITATION

Immediately I came on board, I made arrangements and we organized an LGA wide environmental sanitation for citizens to keep their surrounding clean and safe; that exercise was a huge success after a week sensitization by the Environment Department and the WASH Unit of the council.

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This administration has also started the evacuation of dump sites across the LGA where people dump refuse indiscriminately as a result of urbanization. We are working out modalities in sync with the state government clean environment framework to see how we can best manage dump sites in the LGA without littering our communities with refuse.

We will not stop until Ukwuani LGA becomes green…

EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT

It is almost trite to begin to recount the unparalleled milestones achieved by the Governor Okowa-led government in education in the state. Recently, the council partnered with Ifyone Foundation and we did the pilot distribution of notebooks with three (3) public primary schools (Ethiope Primary School, Obiaruku, Emeni Primary School, Obiaruku and Ugbeleme Primary School, Umutu) across the LGA and we shared hundreds of notebooks to the pupils.

On May 27th, 2021 being the National Children’s Day, in spite of the paucity of funds in the council, we celebrated the children’s day in grand style to the glory of God and our children were not just happy but they were thrilled with different activities.

The council under my watch has also set up a committee to help drive home our education development plans and we have received and okayed their report and very soon we will begin to roll out our educational programmes.

IMPROVED PRIMARY HEALTHCARE SERVICES

In the state, His Excellency’s brainchild, the “Delta State Contributory Health Scheme” has been adjudged as the best in the country with one of the best implementation strategies and the free medical services for children between 0-5 years is unmatched.

In line with the programmes of His Excellency, it is our resolve that we provide

improved and accessible Primary Healthcare Services for the Ukwuani people and we are working in that direction.

YOUTHS AND SPORTS DEVELOPMENT

We have received the initial reports of the sports committee which we subjected to further reviews – and as soon as they come back with their report we will kick start with our sports programmes.

AGRICULTURE AND HUMAN CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT

I wish to reiterate that, I will not give the Ukwuani people excuse for any reason, rather we will do our best to the best of our ability and within the resources available.

In a short time, we currently consulting with stakeholders in the field of Agriculture and also strategizing on the modalities to adopt in giving grants to farmers indeed and those willing to go into farming and ensure that our intended aim for giving the grants are achieved.

By the special grace of God, we have also concluded plans to commence our strategic unconventional empowerment programmes and be rest assured that all stakeholders will be in the picture.

STAFF OF THE COUNCIL

To the very resourceful and hardworking staff of the Ukwuani Local Government council, I want to say thank you for your uncommon cooperation with my administration. I know you know that your welfare is paramount in our agenda and we are currently matching our words with action in that regard.

CHARGE

We are all Ukwuani people and beyond politics we must at all times put Ukwuani first. Politics and ones political affiliation should not be misconstrued to be enmity after all, we all can not belong to the same political party.

We are brothers and sisters in Ukwuani and we must continue to represent Ukwuani LGA wherever we find ourselves.

As a people, we must never be cowed to hide under whatever politic divide to do anything that will threaten the peace of our people; rather, we should be involved in peace building and making friends.

We must as a people continue to have faith in His Excellency, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Okowa and our great party, PDP. I am very optimistic that our Governor and the party will not let Ukwuani LGA down.

Yes, the social media platforms are free and people can freely express themselves however they feel but while we do so, please let us reserve some respect for our leaders and representatives even when you feel you owe nobody apologies.

In Ukwuani LGA, the inalienable rights of citizens to express themselves freely will never be denied anyone. I have made it abundantly clear time and again, that I run a “No Protocols Open Door Policy” – share your ideas with us; commend us when and where necessary and do not hesitate to critize us constructively too.

CHALLENGES

As much as possibilities abound for us in this administration, we are faced with the challenge of poor allocation and Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and we can only do little if we depend solely on allocations.

I therefore wish to call on all well meaning Ukwuani sons and daughters across Nigeria and in Diaspora, the council needs your support to do more – if you are connected to donor agencies, recommend us to them.

Thank you.

HON BARR SOLOMON POSSIBLE AJEDE-AKPOTOWHO

Executive Chairman

Ukwuani Local Government Area