Delta Govt’s N275bn Projects ‘Not History-Making’ – NDC
UGHELLI/Nigeria: The New Delta Coalition (NDC) has strongly criticized Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s administration, accusing it of celebrating mediocrity instead of delivering transformative governance. In a statement signed by its spokesperson, Godwin Anaughe, the group dismissed the state government’s approval of N275 billion for 76 projects as routine government responsibility rather than a groundbreaking achievement.
According to the NDC, the attempt by Commissioner for Works Charles Aniagwu to frame the project approvals as “history-making” is nothing more than political propaganda designed to mask the administration’s lack of vision. The group argued that Delta State, which has received over N1 trillion in Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) funds under Oborevwori’s leadership, remains plagued by unemployment, poverty, and infrastructure decay.
“It is astonishing that these projects are being celebrated as remarkable accomplishments when, in reality, they represent the bare minimum expected of a functional government,” the statement read. “This exposes the governor’s ineptitude and the alarmingly low standards of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Delta State.”
The NDC maintained that, after nearly two years in office, Oborevwori should be delivering projects that create jobs and address the lack of basic amenities, rather than settling for incremental infrastructure developments that fail to transform the state’s economic landscape.
The group also faulted the administration for overlooking critical sectors such as water supply, power generation, industrial parks, rail transportation, and affordable housing. It warned that the introduction of a 40% mobilization fee without transparency on project costs could lead to abandoned projects, corruption, and patronage politics ahead of the 2027 elections.
“Rather than fostering sustainable development, the administration appears to be using these projects to reward political loyalists while ignoring real solutions to Delta State’s economic struggles,” the coalition stated.
The NDC also condemned the government’s heavy reliance on FAAC allocations, which it attributed to President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms, stating that Oborevwori’s administration lacks innovative economic strategies.
“Rather than seeking new revenue streams and diversifying the state’s economy, the government remains content with a handout mentality, making monthly trips to Abuja to collect FAAC allocations without a concrete plan for sustainable growth,” the statement added.
The coalition called on Deltans to reject what it described as the “grand celebrations of mediocrity” that have become the hallmark of the Oborevwori administration. It demanded a leadership that prioritizes excellence, bold reforms, and real economic progress over self-congratulatory political narratives.
“The people of Delta State deserve far better than this,” the statement concluded. “It is time for our leaders to aim higher, be bold, and put the interests of the people first.”
