2027: How I Will Break Poverty Cycle And Build Prosperous Delta – Great Ogboru

Governorship hopeful and chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) Chief Great Ovedje Ogboru, has unveiled his governance blueprint for Delta State, saying his mission is to break the cycle of poverty and build a state where opportunity, not political connection, determines success.

Ogboru, in a statement released by the State Publicity Secretary of ADC, Fred Akpewe, said his vision is captured in his “Regenerate, Rebuild Delta” initiative, which will focus on job creation, wealth creation and human development.

“Poverty is not merely the absence of money. It is the absence of opportunity, productive employment, quality education, affordable healthcare, decent housing, reliable infrastructure and the means for people to build secure and dignified lives,” Ogboru said.

According to him, the challenge before Delta is not to manage poverty but to break the cycle that perpetuates it. “Government will become an enabler of economic opportunity rather than merely an allocator of public resources,” he stated.

Ogboru said his administration will not rely on government jobs alone but will build a strong private sector capable of creating sustainable jobs.

He promised to support Small and Medium Enterprises, SMEs, with affordable finance, business-development support, skills training, simplified regulatory procedures and improved infrastructure, while attracting responsible domestic and foreign investment into manufacturing, agro-processing, energy, logistics, tourism, construction and the blue economy.

He said his government will transform agriculture from subsistence to a modern commercial enterprise, with access to inputs, mechanisation, irrigation, extension services, storage, processing centres and markets.

“The emphasis will be on value addition – ensuring that Delta does not merely produce raw agricultural commodities but processes them locally, creating jobs and increasing farmers’ incomes,” he noted.

On youth development, Ogboru said youth empowerment will go beyond temporary grants and political patronage.

“The administration will establish programmes to equip young Deltans with marketable skills in technology, manufacturing, construction, agriculture, creative industries, maritime services and other emerging sectors. The objective will be to create pathways from education and skills acquisition to employment, entrepreneurship and wealth creation,” he said.

One of the major highlights of the blueprint is the creation of a Special Purpose Vehicle, SPV, known as the Equal Opportunities Local Government Development Initiative, EOLGDI.

He explained that the SPV will be funded with special intervention funds supervised by an Ombudsman to rapidly develop all local government areas equally, describing it as a radical departure from the current system where projects are concentrated in select LGAs.

Ogboru also prioritized technical and vocational education, infrastructure that connects farms to markets and businesses to reliable power, and expansion of electricity through public-private partnerships and decentralised energy solutions.

He added that his administration will strengthen targeted social-protection programmes for vulnerable families, persons with disabilities and the elderly, while treating healthcare, clean water, sanitation and affordable housing as essentials, not privileges.

“Great Ogboru’s approach is founded on a simple principle: the people of Delta State do not want government to merely give them something to survive on; they want a government that creates the conditions in which they can prosper,” Akpewe stated.

“The ultimate objective is to move Delta from a culture of dependency to a culture of productivity, enterprise and shared prosperity.”