Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa is scheduled to commission one of the earlier abandoned multi-purpose Skill Acquisition Centres, located in Umutu Community, Ukwuani Local Government Area.

The project which was allegedly awarded during the tenure of the second democratically elected governor of the state, Chief James Ibori who assumed office in 1999, had been left uncompleted by the successive administration of Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, until the administration of incumbent Governor Ifeanyi Okowa decided to complete the project in line with its five-point policy programme.

Executive Director, Social Services Development, Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, (DESOPADEC), Hon Christopher Ochor Ochor, who carried out an on the spot inspection of some projects being carried out by the commission in the area, disclosed on Tuesday, February 20, 2018 that in the next few weeks, the skill acquisition centre would be among projects to be inaugurated in the area.

Other projects inspected include, the section B of the de-flooding of the Obiaruku Market, the Perimeter fencing of the Emmanuel Uduaghan Civic Centre, in Obiaruku, the Ekpemili Primary School, Obi-Ogene, Ebedei, among others.

Speaking to newsmen after the exercise, Ochor Ochor, said that because of the importance the governor has for human capital development, especially for the teeming youths of the state, at assumption of office, he directed that the centre be transferred to the commission from the State Ministry of Youths and Sports, which was the original executors of the project.

“His Excellency, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, because of his promises to the people of Ukwuani, and his penchant to impact on the youths in the state skills that will help them contribute positively to the state economy, directed the commission to take over the job from the State Ministry of Youths and Sports”.

According to Hon Ochor, the centre has a history which spans a period of time, saying, “The centre has a history, which was from the Ministry of Youths and Sports, and that phase has ended, this is another phase.”

While thanking the governor on behalf of the people of the local government for making provisions to ensure that the project is completed, said that if completed and commissioned, it will not only be a centre of training for basic skills that will develop human and economic capacity of the area, but will also provide both direct and indirect employment to the people of Umutu and other communities in the area.

“Completion of this centre will not only afford the people of this area the opportunity to acquire the basic knowledge in skills that will help them to leave a better life, but will also provide direct and indirect jobs for the people”

Speaking further, Hon Ochor affirmed the readiness of DESOPADEC to continue the provisions of the necessary solutions that will improve lives of the people of the mandate area, as enshrined in the agenda of the present government, which they had done since the assumption of the present board.

“The present board met a contract job of about N10 billion, and since our mandate was complete and commission, we had been completing and commissioning many of those jobs we met, and we will continue to do so for the good of the people”, he added.