CoronaVirus: Cut Down Your Aides, Not Capital Projects, Delta APC To Okowa

The Delta State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has condemned the pending move of the state governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa to cut down on capital projects due to the anticipated economic effect by the CoronaVirus pandemic.

In a press statement signed by the State Publicity Secretary, Sylvester Imonina, Esq., Delta APC queried that, it was morally wrong to use Delta monies to pay political aides who add no value to the governance of the State and abandon the duties of providing infrastructural developments for Deltans.

The release obtained dated Saturday, 14th March, 2020 and obtained by ASABA METRO reads below.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta State disagrees with Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, on his quest to cut down the number of capital projects in the State.

Excuse given on non-availability of funds to the Government of Delta State, purportedly caused by Coronavirus (covid-19), is bogus and unacceptable to the people.

It is a popular fact that in recent months, the Governor appointed thousands of political aides, largely on political patronage. Painfully, majority of the appointed Special Advisers, Special Assistants and/ or political aides do not add value to the social and economic development of the State.

Information available to APC and the general public is that the internally generated revenue of Delta State on a monthly basis is in the neighborhood of N13 billion. On the other hand, the unaccounted/unremitted monies collected by friends and cronies of the State Government as political settlement, from business owners in Delta State are in billions of Naira!

One may quickly ask: Is it not morally wrong to use Delta monies to pay political aides who add no value to the governance of Delta State? Is it not morally wrong to cut down the capital projects that touch the lives of Deltans directly and indirectly? Apart from federal allocations and other revenues, what is the State Government doing with internally generated revenue?

APC, Delta State challenges Governor Okowa to cut down his cost of governance, foisted on Deltans through redundant political aides. Also, we challenge the State Government to be more accountable in allocations of resources of the State.