Councils Financial Autonomy: Gov Oborevwori excited, Commended Supreme Court – Bureau Chief

…Says DSIEC conducted one of the freest, credible and transparent elections in Delta.

The Chief Executive Officer of Delta State Orientation and Communications Bureau, Dr Fred Latimore Oghenesivbe, has said that the State Governor, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, was visibly excited over the financial autonomy granted to local government councils, as reflected in the landmark judgement of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

Oghenesivbe made the disclosure while speaking as a special guest of “The Parliament,” a high profile public affairs program on Bridge Radio 98.7 FM Asaba, saying that governor Oborevwori has been and will always be an unrepentant advocate of financial autonomy for the three tiers of government in Nigeria.

He quoted governor Oborevwori as saying that the financial autonomy for local government councils is a great relief for the state government as it enables the people to now hold council chairmen accountable at all times, while the state is freed from councils financial burden which hitherto depleted state resources in Billions of Naira.

Oghenesivbe stated that before now, the state government never interfered with local government council funds, rather it assisted councils in multifaceted ways in meeting their financial obligations, and that included payment of pension arrears and salaries running into billions of Naira.

He further asserted that with the financial autonomy granted to local government councils, the state government is now absolutely free from giving or granting financial assistance to them, which was why governor Oborevwori received the good news of financial autonomy with excitement and great relief.

On the just concluded Local Government Council Elections in Delta State, Dr Oghenesivbe said the State Orientation and Communications Bureau passed a vote of confidence on the Chairman and management of Delta State Independent Electoral Commission, DSIEC, for conducting the most transparent, credible, free and fair elections in the state.

He noted that DSIEC was able to manage information in a manner expected of a responsible and responsive independent electoral umpire, coupled with the fact that officials and ad-hoc staff of the commission arrived as early as 8:30am and immediately commenced accreditation and voting across the state.

Oghenesivbe, who is also the Executive Assistant on Communications to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State, commended the federal government for sending additional twenty trucks of rice to each state of the federation, assuring that Delta State Government through the Palliatives Distribution Committee Chaired by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Kingsley Emu, will ensure that all items get to the poor and vulnerable citizens.

“His Excellency, the Governor of Delta State, Elder Sheriff Oborevwori, was visibly excited upon hearing the decision of the Supreme Court on financial autonomy for local government councils.

“The governor has been, and will always be an unrepentant advocate of financial autonomy for the three tiers of government. And in Delta, the state government or the governor does not concern itself or himself with local government funds.

“The Supreme Court verdict corroborated Delta State Government’s positive stand on financial autonomy for local government councils, the judiciary and the Legislature.

“It is therefore, a welcome development as expressed by His Excellency, governor Oborevwori during the swearing in ceremony of newly elected 25 local government Chairmen and Vice Chairmen.

“On the just concluded Local Government Council Elections in Delta State, the electoral umpire, performed creditably well, and without blemish. As a Bureau, we passed a vote of confidence on DSIEC. Deltans were not disappointed.

“Delta State Government received the good news of additional 20 trucks of rice to each state of the federation. It is a welcome development, and upon arrival in the state, the items shall be distributed transparently by the State Committee on Palliatives Distribution, ably Chaired by our indefatigable SSG, Dr Kingsley Emu.

“The Bureau strongly recommend that the federal government should embark on policy reversal if it cannot boost the nation’s economy through the present economic policies which triggered inflation and enhanced poverty in Nigeria.

“Palliatives can’t be permanent solutions to the present negative economic realities, which is why President Bola Tinubu, must of a necessity work round the clock to solve the problems of insecurity, reduce pump price of fuel by insisting that the refineries must work, partner Dangote Refinery on Fuel production and distribution, and to also do the needful to increase the strength of the Naira.

“In Delta, governor Oborevwori is alleviating poverty through financial assistance to existing Small and Medium Scale Enterprises, SMEs, and also created thousands of jobs for our teeming youths, skilled and unskilled workers through ongoing construction of gigantic projects across the state, especially the three mega flyovers at DSC Roundabout, PTI junction, Effurun Roundabout and Enerhen junction up to Marine Gate.

“The governor is not resting on his oars, more meaning development shall continue to spread across the three senatorial districts till May 29, 2031,” Oghenesivbe assured.