The Delta State Government has commenced moves to identify beneficiaries for fresh empowerment programmes designed to cushion economic hardship and improve the livelihoods of residents across theh state.
The Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads) and Public Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu, made this known in Asaba while addressing newsmen on government policies and programmes geared towards alleviating the Plights of the people.
He said, “Governor Sheriff Oborevwori has directed relevant government agencies to begin the process of identifying beneficiaries for various intervention programmes aimed at providing business support, skills acquisition and other forms of empowerment to Deltans.
Aniagwu stated further that the initiative was part of the administration’s broader strategy to boost the purchasing power of residents and ensure that the benefits of economic reforms translated into tangible improvements at the grassroots.
He said agencies including the Office of the Chief Job Creation Officer, Ministry of Women Affairs, Community and Social Development, Ministry of Youth Development and Ministry of Science and Technology had been directed to commence the identification process.
According to him, the programmes are designed to equip beneficiaries with the resources and skills required to become economically productive, self-reliant and better positioned to withstand current economic challenges.
The commissioner explained that the empowerment initiatives formed part of a wider package of measures being implemented by the Oborevwori administration to stimulate economic activities, increase disposable income and strengthen household purchasing power.
He said the government was also deploying resources to infrastructure development, workers’ welfare and strategic investments as part of efforts to ensure that economic growth was felt directly by residents.
Aniagwu said the administration’s planned massive renovation of schools across the state would equally create opportunities for contractors, artisans, suppliers and traders, while local sourcing of construction materials would help keep government expenditure within beneficiary communities.
He said the proposed 13th-month salary for civil servants, which the government was working to institutionalise through legislation, would further increase workers’ disposable income and stimulate economic activities.
The Delta State Commissioner for Works(rural roads) and Public Information stressed that the government’s improved revenue position would not be deployed for indiscriminate spending but channelled into programmes capable of creating sustainable economic opportunities and improving the standard of living of Deltans.
He urged residents to take advantage of the empowerment initiatives when rolled out, assuring that the government remained committed to mitigating the effects of economic hardship and ensuring that the benefits of its policies reached the grassroots.
He said the administration’s investments cut across education, healthcare, roads, housing and empowerment, with the ultimate objective of making residents more financially resilient.
He also cited the construction of additional residential quarters for medical personnel, particularly doctors, as part of efforts to improve public services and address brain drain in the health sector, saying decent accommodation would help retain critical personnel and improve healthcare delivery.
Aniagwu acknowledged the economic difficulties associated with the removal of fuel subsidy and other reforms at the federal level but said the Delta Government was determined to mitigate their impact on residents.
He noted that while some of the reforms might have been necessary, their implementation could produce unintended consequences and “grey areas” requiring intervention.
“We are convinced that efforts are also being made to address those grey areas, just as we are doing in Delta, so that the benefit of this removal can move beyond the macro level and come to the micro level,” he said.
