The Delta State Commissioner for Finance, Chief Kenneth Okpara, has justified how the state spent the N50 billion it secured from the stock market in 2011.
Floodgate of criticisms from the opposition parties in the state had trailed how the money was expended.
Members of the Association of Registered Political Parties had queried on several occasions why an oil rich state like Delta State still goes borrowing, alleging that there is nothing on ground to show for the billions of allocations accruing to it from the Federation Account.
Okpara said: “Yes, the ministry in 2011 secured a N50 billion Infrastructural Development Bond Programme to execute various projects, including the development of the Warri Industrial Park and others.”
He carpeted those condemning the initiative, maintaining: “What the state did is an acceptable practice around the world.”
According to him, from the total sum, the Warri Industrial Park took N3 billion and the dualization of Ughelli-Asaba Expressway gulped N5 billion.
Speaking in Asaba when confronted with the question, the Finance Commissioner told The Eagle Online that the dualization of Effurun-Eku Road took another N5 billion, the dualization of Ugbenu-Koko Road cost N2 billion, while the four newly-approved state polytechnics had a share of N4 billion.
Okpara explained: “The Delta state University Senate Building on which N1 billion was expended upon is there for us to see. The Sapele Modern Market that the state spent N1 billion to construct is another testimony. Should we start talking about the Education Initiatives of this administration: the Primary, Secondary and Tertiary projects, which gulped N8.8 billion, or the N2.2 billion spent on the rehabilitation of Eku Baptist Hospital?
“The Maternal and Childcare Centre, Central Hospital Warri, which took N1 billion was recently commissioned. We also spent N0.5 billion on Ekpan Maternal and Childcare Centre, N1 billion on the state’s School of Engineering, N0.5 billion on the School of Maritime Technology, N1 billion on rehabilitation of courts, N2 billion on Warri Water Project.
“The transportation sector of the state ranks among the best in Nigeria, with our Taxis, Boats, Big Buses, procured with N5.5 billion fully operational.”
According to Okpara, N3.1 billion was expended on the construction of township roads within Asaba, Warri, Agbor, Sapele and Abigborodo.
He urged those posing criticism from the opposition divide not to be blind to people-oriented projects executed and commissioned by his boss, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, but constructively engage the governor in matter of urgent public importance to further develop the state.
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