By Uwandulu Maryann
ASABA/Nigeria: The Delta State Government has declared that it is laying a durable and strategic foundation for long-term economic prosperity, anchored on infrastructure expansion, industrial growth and deliberate private sector stimulation.
Commissioner for Economic Planning, Hon. Sonny Ekedayen, made this known during an extensive media interaction with journalists on Wednesday, February 25, 2026, at his office in the Chike Edozien Secretariat, Asaba, where he outlined the administration’s roadmap for sustainable growth and employment generation.
The session, which drew members of the press across the state, provided insight into what the Commissioner described as a carefully structured economic reset designed to reposition Delta beyond short-term gains toward enduring, inclusive development.
Ekedayen explained that the government’s heavy investment in infrastructure is neither incidental nor politically motivated, but a calculated strategy to create the conditions necessary for private enterprise to thrive.
“Infrastructure is the foundation upon which economic expansion is built. Without roads, security, electricity and functional public utilities, you cannot talk about serious investment,” he said.
He noted that Delta’s geographic and demographic structure — with multiple commercial hubs, urban centres and agrarian communities spread across the state — makes balanced infrastructure spending unavoidable.
“You cannot concentrate development in one location and expect others to feel the impact. If growth must be inclusive and sustainable, infrastructure must be evenly distributed,” he stated.
The commissioner emphasised that while government remains a significant employer, it is not designed to directly create mass employment for the state’s growing population. Sustainable job creation, he stressed, must be driven by a vibrant private sector supported by enabling policies.
“The role of government is to create opportunities. We build the environment; the private sector builds the jobs,” he said.
Ekedayen pointed to ongoing interventions in agriculture, industrial development and targeted financial support for small and medium-scale enterprises as pillars of the administration’s economic architecture. According to him, strengthening value chains in agriculture and expanding industrial clusters are critical to unlocking productivity and reducing unemployment.
He also highlighted renewed investor confidence in the Delta Special Economic Zone as a tangible indicator of progress. The number of active companies operating within the zone, he disclosed, has grown from fewer than three about two years ago to eleven currently — a development he attributed to improved infrastructure and policy consistency.
“That kind of growth does not happen by accident. It is the result of deliberate planning and sustained investment,” he noted.
While acknowledging that economic transformation is a gradual process, Ekedayen maintained that the administration has already laid the structural groundwork for accelerated growth in the coming years.
“Economic development takes time. What we are doing now is building a solid base that will support expansion, attract more investors and create opportunities for our young people,” he said.
The Commissioner urged citizens to remain patient and supportive of the state’s economic policies, assuring that the focus remains on diversification, stability and shared prosperity.
He also called on the media to play a constructive role in amplifying accurate economic information, noting that perception significantly influences investment decisions.
“As we build the economy, we must also tell our development story responsibly. Confidence is key in economics,” Ekedayen concluded.
With infrastructure as its anchor and private enterprise as its engine, the Delta State Government appears determined to chart a steady course toward long-term economic resilience and broad-based prosperity.
