By Mokobia Rita
ASABA/Nigeria: The Oshimili South Local Government Council in Delta State has commissioned a new administrative complex and an access road in Asaba, with the council chairman, Hon. Kelvin Ezenyili, saying the projects are intended to improve the working environment and strengthen service delivery at the grassroots.
The projects, comprising the Sheriff Oborevwori Administrative Complex and the Prof. Epiphany Chigbogu Azinge Lane, were commissioned on Thursday in the presence of government officials, traditional rulers, political leaders, civil servants and residents.
Ezenyili said the new administrative complex was conceived in response to the poor condition of some government offices in the council area, which he said had affected staff morale and productivity.
He explained that the facility would provide a more conducive environment for council workers, federal government agencies and other organisations operating within the council area, while improving the efficiency of public administration.
The chairman said the projects were consistent with the development objectives of the state government’s MORE Agenda and represented an effort by the council to translate its development plans into practical interventions.
He also used the occasion to outline some of the projects and programmes undertaken by his administration, including the Oko Event Centre, new market stalls at the Ogbeke Modern Foodstuff Market, reconstruction of the Oshimili South Government Plaza, power infrastructure and the acquisition of land for a cemetery project.
Other interventions, he said, included support for sporting competitions, security initiatives and youth empowerment programmes.
Ezenyili further disclosed that the council, in partnership with Design Africa, had established a digital skills acquisition programme through which young people were trained in web development, animation, video editing, graphic design, artificial intelligence, digital marketing and drone technology.
He said beneficiaries of the programme were also provided with laptop computers to support their training and future career opportunities.
The chairman thanked Governor Sheriff Oborevwori for his support for local government administration and appealed to residents and public servants to protect the newly completed facilities against vandalism and misuse.
Governor Oborevwori, represented at the event by his deputy, Sir Monday Onyeme, said the projects demonstrated the importance of providing functional infrastructure at the local government level.
He described Oshimili South as an important administrative and commercial centre in Delta State, stressing that effective grassroots governance required facilities that could support efficient administration.
According to him, the new complex would provide council workers with an improved working environment, enhance productivity and enable residents to receive public services in a more dignified setting.
He said the access road would also improve movement to the council secretariat, ease existing access difficulties and enhance connectivity within the surrounding area.
The governor commended the council leadership, contractors and engineers involved in the projects and reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to supporting development initiatives across the state’s 25 local government areas.
Former Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, commended Ezenyili for what he described as visible development initiatives in Oshimili South.
Elumelu said projects that directly affect the lives of residents could help restore public confidence in local government administration. He also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration for measures he said had strengthened the financial capacity of local governments to meet their obligations and execute development projects.
The Asagba of Asaba, Prof. Epiphany Chigbogu Azinge, SAN, congratulated the council chairman on the completion of the projects.
Azinge described local government as the tier of government closest to the people and said investments in functional administrative infrastructure were important to bringing governance closer to residents.
He urged stakeholders to support initiatives capable of improving administration and sustaining development in Oshimili South.
Representing former Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, Dr. Pascal Adigwe conveyed the former governor’s goodwill to the people of Oshimili South and commended the council chairman for completing the administrative complex and access road.
Adigwe urged stakeholders to continue supporting programmes aimed at strengthening governance and promoting development within the local government area.
