By Reen Chidi
The Delta State Government has unveiled a package of economic interventions aimed at strengthening household incomes, expanding economic opportunities and cushioning the impact of the prevailing economic challenges on residents.
The measures, according to the Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads) and Public Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu, include massive infrastructure projects, workers’ welfare initiatives, empowerment programmes, improved road connectivity and efforts to attract investments into productive sectors of the state economy.
Aniagwu disclosed this on Thursday in Asaba while briefing journalists on the policies and programmes of the administration of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori.
He said the Governor had directed relevant government agencies to intensify interventions capable of stimulating economic activities at the grassroots and translating the gains of economic reforms into tangible benefits for ordinary residents.
Aniagwu said the government was particularly concerned about ensuring that increased economic activity translated into higher disposable income for households.
“The governor has directed that we intensify efforts at rolling out programmes that will indeed improve the purchasing power of our people,” he said.»
Infrastructure as Economic Stimulus
The Commissioner explained that the administration’s massive infrastructure drive was not solely about physical development but also a deliberate strategy for economic stimulation.
He cited the planned extensive renovation of schools across the state, saying the projects would create business opportunities for contractors, artisans, suppliers, transporters and traders within host communities.
According to him, the use of locally sourced materials, including cement and roofing sheets, would ensure that government spending circulates within local economies instead of leaving communities.
He said the approach would generate a multiplier effect as increased earnings from government projects translate into higher household spending and expanded commercial activities.
Aniagwu similarly linked the government’s investments in road construction to its economic strategy, noting that improved road networks would open up communities, reduce transportation challenges and facilitate the movement of agricultural produce, goods and services.
13th-Month Salary Moves Closer
The Commissioner disclosed that the state government was also taking steps to institutionalise the proposed payment of a 13th-month salary to workers through legislation.
He explained that the initiative was designed to inject additional disposable income into the hands of civil servants and, by extension, stimulate economic activity across communities.
Aniagwu said the intervention was different from indiscriminate cash distribution, stressing that putting additional resources in the hands of workers would enable them to meet household needs while supporting local businesses.
“Once this fund gets to the hands of the civil servants, that civil servant is also enabled to spend money in certain directions,” he said.»
He explained that the objective was to move the benefits of economic reforms from the macroeconomic level to the level of individual households.
Empowerment Drive Gets Fresh Push
Aniagwu further disclosed that Governor Oborevwori had directed agencies responsible for job creation and empowerment to commence the identification of beneficiaries for various intervention programmes.
He listed 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 among the agencies involved.
The programmes, he said, would focus on business support, skills acquisition and other interventions designed to enable beneficiaries to establish sustainable livelihoods.
Government Woos Investors
The Commissioner also revealed that the state was pursuing investment opportunities identified through its economic and investment summit.
Among the areas being explored, he said, was the establishment of local production capacity for poultry feed and other agricultural inputs.
Aniagwu explained that encouraging the production of such inputs within Delta would reduce the volume of money leaving the state to procure them elsewhere, while simultaneously creating jobs and expanding opportunities for farmers, entrepreneurs and investors.
He said the government’s improved revenue position would be deployed strategically rather than expended indiscriminately.
According to him, investments in education, healthcare, roads, housing and empowerment were being pursued with the broader objective of strengthening the resilience and earning capacity of residents.
Healthcare Investment Targets Brain Drain
On the health sector, Aniagwu cited the construction of additional residential accommodation for medical personnel, particularly doctors, as part of measures to improve working conditions and retain critical manpower.
He said providing decent accommodation would help make public service more attractive to medical professionals, reduce the pressure associated with brain drain and ultimately improve healthcare delivery.
‘We Must Address the Grey Areas‘
The Commissioner acknowledged that the removal of fuel subsidy and other economic reforms had imposed significant pressures on households and businesses.
He, however, maintained that the Delta Government was focused on mitigating the effects of the reforms while supporting measures to ensure that their benefits eventually reached ordinary citizens.
Aniagwu noted that although some reforms might have been necessary, their implementation could create unintended consequences requiring corrective measures.
“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.»
He urged Deltans not to allow current economic difficulties to obscure their confidence in the future, saying the administration was implementing programmes designed to create a more sustainable economic environment.
2027 Politics Won’t Distract Government
With the 2027 general elections approaching, Aniagwu said the Oborevwori administration would remain focused on governance and the delivery of projects and programmes with measurable benefits to the people.
He said the government would prioritise sustainable interventions over politically motivated cash distribution, insisting that the ultimate measure of its economic policies would be their ability to improve the lives and purchasing power of residents.
Aniagwu called on Deltans to support the administration’s programmes, expressing optimism that continued investment in productive sectors would strengthen the state’s economy and ensure that residents derive corresponding benefits from its growth.
