By Freedom Okpubeku
Ughelli North Local Government Chairman, Chief Jaro Omovudu Egbo, has reiterated the determination of his government to see to the accelerated development of the Ughelli Council area even as he sued for the understanding and support of the people.
Speaking during a visit by members of the Ughelli Correspondents Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) on Tuesday, October 15, 2024 at the Council secretariat in Ughelli, Delta State, Egbo said that he has dedicated himself to the vision of greatness for the council area, promoting collaboration and transparency in his administration.
He remarked that the visit was significant as he marked his first 100 days in office as chairman of the local government area, adding that early in the administration, he focused on three areas – education, environment and security.
Speaking further on the achievements of his administration so far, the Council chairman said: “Firstly, we have established regular communication channels to ensure that all members are informed and engaged. Every Monday, prayer has been established to commit our administration into the able hands of God.
“Upon assumption of duties, having considered the importance of health care, myself
and my team embarked on the tour of Health Centres in the Local Government for on-the-spot assessment where we discovered the bad state of some of the Health Centres, which made my administration to take a bold step and embarked on the construction of an Ultra-Modern Cottage Maternity Health Centre which will be furnished with the state-of-the-Art facilities at the Local Government Headquarters here.”
On education, Egbo informed that within the short time he has been in office, his administration has, from Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), been able to raise over N25, 000,000.00 which, according to him, is already being “channelled to the purchase of school, uniforms, notebooks, and writing desks for our pupils in the Local Government Area” in addition to “proposed funding for better facilities, training for our teachers in collaboration with SUPEB and a conducive learning environment for our pupils.”
In promotion of security in the council area, the council boss continued: “I summoned a zonal security meeting which was inclusive of my sister councils viz: Ughelli South and Udu Local Government so as to find a way to curb the monster of insecurity in the councils. This brought about the relative peace we have been enjoying”
Apart from the renovation of offices and purchase of official vehicles, Chief Egbo also mentioned achievements in other areas: “Our roads, no doubt, are in a very a bad state and in a bid to find a lasting solution to it, I met with our amiable Governor, His Excellency (Elder) Sheriff J. 0. Oborevwori, who has promised to look at our proposal of approving a 20 Kilometres of road to us in the forthcoming budget proposal. I want to appeal to the good people of Ughelli North to have some patience towards the dry seasons; the roads will be attended to.
“On environmental sanitation, those of us who live in the metropolis can testify of my government efforts towards cleaning up Ughelli North Local Government Area. The Ughelli main market was a worse case scenario where the market women were selling goats along the road; this is now a thing of the past, they have been relocated inside the market and the debris in the market evacuated. Our commitment to cleaning Ughelli is a task that must be done.” He then solicited the support of the media for his administration to achieve a greater Ughelli North council area.
On his part, Chief Sunday Apah, Chairman of the NUJ, Ughelli Correspondents Chapel, commended the council Chairman for his developmental strides and urged him not to relent in his developmental efforts even at partnering with journalists.
“In just a few months in office, you have demonstrated exceptional dedication to the welfare of our people. Your initiatives in health, the procurement of vehicles for our political class, and your focus on enhancing our security outfits all resonate with the pressing needs of our community.
“Your support not only highlights your commitment to inclusivity but also strengthens the bond between our local government and the journalism profession in Ughelli North … we believe that our partnership can yield significant benefits for both our local government and the community at large,” he stated.