The establishment of the Delta State Job and Wealth Creation Bureau was conceived as a strategic response to unemployment, poverty, and youth restiveness.
It was designed not merely as a bureaucratic department, but as a driver of economic inclusion, innovation, and sustainable livelihoods.
Sadly, under the current administration, the Bureau has drifted from relevance into near dormancy, raising serious questions about policy priorities, political will, and governance outcomes.
Under the leadership of Comrade Ifeanyi Egwuyenga, the current Job and Wealth Creation Officer, the Bureau has remained largely silent in the public space.
There has been no significant statewide empowerment programme, no visible skills acquisition drive, no impactful entrepreneurship intervention, and no measurable job-creation milestone that citizens can point to.
For an Bureau whose mandate directly affects the economic survival of thousands of young Deltans, this silence is both troubling and unacceptable.
A Stark Contrast with the Prof. Eric Eboh Years
The difference becomes even more glaring when compared with the era of Professor Eric Eboh, who served as Chief Job and Wealth Creation Officer under Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa’s administration.
That period was marked by intentionality, visibility, and measurable impact.
His tenure treated job and wealth creation as a cornerstone of governance.
Programmes were not just announced; they were implemented, monitored, and expanded.
Youth empowerment was not an afterthought, it was a central policy objective.
Flagship initiatives such as the Youth Agricultural Entrepreneurs Programme (YAGEP) transformed agriculture from subsistence to enterprise, engaging thousands of young people in poultry, fishery, crop production, and agribusiness value chains.
Beneficiaries received training, starter packs, funding support, and continuous mentorship, turning agriculture into a viable livelihood rather than a survival option.
Similarly, the Skills Training and Entrepreneurship Programme (STEP) became a lifeline for artisans, craftsmen, and young professionals.
From fashion design and ICT to welding, catering, and automobile repairs, STEP equipped beneficiaries with practical skills, start-up tools, and access to credit.
These programmes were visible across communities, cutting across political, ethnic, and social divides.
Under Prof. Eboh’s stewardship, the Bureau became a hub of activity, attracting development partners, donor agencies, and private-sector collaborations.
Progress reports were shared, beneficiaries were celebrated, and the public could clearly see where government intervention was making a difference.
A Quietly Dead Bureau?
Today, the narrative has changed and not for the better. The Job and Wealth Creation Bureau, under the current dispensation, appears inactive, disengaged, and disconnected from the urgent realities facing Delta youths.
In a time of rising unemployment, economic hardship, and youth frustration, the absence of structured empowerment programmes is deeply concerning.
Worse still, there has been no clear policy direction, no transparent roadmap, and no public accountability.
An office that once symbolized hope now struggles to justify its existence. This is not merely an administrative failure; it is a governance failure with real human consequences.
Leadership of such a critical office demands visibility, innovation, advocacy, and measurable outcomes. Silence, in this context, is not neutrality, it is neglect.
The Cost of Inaction
When job creation stalls, insecurity rises. When youths are ignored, social tension deepens. When empowerment programmes disappear, poverty expands.
Governance is ultimately judged not by titles or appointments, but by impact on lives.
Delta State cannot afford a Job and Wealth Creation office that exists only on paper. The state’s youthful population requires deliberate investment, policy consistency, and leadership that understands the urgency of now.
A Call for Urgent Reset
This editorial is not a condemnation of individuals, but a call for immediate policy recalibration.
If the current Job and Wealth Creation Bureau is to remain relevant, it must be revived with clear programmes, timelines, funding, and public engagement.
Delta State has already seen what is possible when leadership is proactive. There is no excuse for regression.
The legacy of YAGEP, STEP, and related initiatives proves that job creation works when the government is intentional.
The current administration must either match that legacy or risk being remembered for presiding over the quiet death of one of Delta State’s most important development institutions.
History is watching. More importantly, the youths are waiting
