By Mokobia Rita
ASABA/Nigeria: The Delta State Government has stepped up measures aimed at easing the economic burden on residents and strengthening their purchasing power through increased investment in infrastructure, workers’ welfare, empowerment programmes and local production.
The Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads) and Public Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu, disclosed this on Thursday while briefing journalists in Asaba, saying Governor Sheriff Oborevwori had directed relevant government agencies to intensify interventions capable of translating the state’s economic gains into tangible benefits for households.
Aniagwu said the administration was deliberately deploying public resources to stimulate economic activities within communities, rather than allowing improved government revenue to result in indiscriminate spending.
He explained that government projects were expected to create income and business opportunities for contractors, artisans, suppliers, traders and other participants in the local economy.
“The governor has directed that we intensify efforts at rolling out programmes that will indeed improve the purchasing power of our people,” he said.
According to him, the planned extensive rehabilitation of public schools across the state would serve both educational and economic purposes by creating opportunities for local contractors, artisans and suppliers.
He said the government would, where practicable, source construction materials such as cement and roofing sheets locally, allowing a significant portion of the money spent on the projects to circulate within the communities where the work was being executed.
Aniagwu said such circulation of funds would increase earnings for individuals and businesses and subsequently support household spending.
The commissioner also disclosed that the state was pursuing legislative backing for the 13th-month salary initiative for civil servants, describing it as part of the administration’s strategy to increase workers’ disposable income and stimulate economic activity.
He explained that the initiative was not simply about giving workers additional money but also about ensuring that the benefits of economic reforms reached households and small businesses.
“When this fund gets to the hands of the civil servants, that civil servant is also enabled to spend money in certain directions,” Aniagwu said.
He added that the state government had directed agencies responsible for empowerment programmes to commence the identification of beneficiaries for various interventions.
The agencies, he said, included 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.
Aniagwu said the programmes would provide business support, skills development and other forms of assistance designed to help beneficiaries become economically productive and improve their capacity to earn sustainable incomes.
He also linked the administration’s road construction programme to its economic development strategy, saying improved connectivity would make it easier for farmers, traders and businesses to move goods and services across the state.
According to him, roads connecting communities and opening up economic corridors would reduce transportation challenges, facilitate commerce and create a more favourable environment for investment.
The commissioner further said the state was pursuing investment opportunities identified through its economic and investment summit, including efforts to promote the local production of poultry feed and other agricultural inputs.
He said developing such production capacity within Delta would reduce the amount of money leaving the state to procure the products elsewhere, while creating new opportunities for farmers, entrepreneurs and investors.
Aniagwu said the state’s improved revenue position would be channelled into projects and programmes capable of producing sustainable economic benefits rather than indiscriminate expenditure.
He said the administration’s investments covered key sectors including education, healthcare, roads, housing and empowerment, with the broader objective of improving the economic resilience and living standards of residents.
He also cited the construction of additional residential quarters for medical personnel, particularly doctors, as part of efforts to improve workers’ welfare, retain critical healthcare professionals and strengthen public healthcare delivery.
The commissioner 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 effects on residents.
He noted that although some of the reforms might have been necessary, their implementation could produce unintended consequences that required intervention at the state and local levels.
“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.
Aniagwu urged Deltans not to allow the current economic difficulties to determine their expectations of the future, saying the administration’s interventions were designed to create a pathway towards greater economic stability.
As the 2027 general elections draw closer, he said the Oborevwori administration would remain focused on governance and projects capable of delivering tangible benefits to the people rather than politically motivated cash distribution.
He called on residents to support the government’s programmes, saying the ultimate goal was to ensure that economic growth in Delta translated into greater opportunities, improved household incomes and a better standard of living for the people.
