Okowa Doesn’t Give In To People Who Lobby For Appointment – Commissioner

Delta State Information Commissioner, Patrick Ukah says Delta state Governor, Senator Dr Ifeanyi Okowa is not the type of Governor who give in to people who lobby and jostle for political appointments.

Ukah said Okowa is a man who will never sacrifice meritocracy on the altar of mediocrity or political pressure, adding that the governor is very coordinated and meticulous in his decisions that would uplift the State.

The Information Commissioner spoke as a guest at the Delta Online Publishers Forum, (DOPF) interactive talk show programme tagged “The Frontline” on Wednesday in Asaba, the state capital.

Fielding questions from journalists at the event, particularly if he was one of those lobbying or being consider for reappointment in the second term of Governor Okowa, Mr Ukah said that the choice to reappoint those who are currently serving and new people into government are the constitutional and prerogative right of the governor.

According to him, he has served the state government with atmost zeal through the Governor’s maximum support and wouldn’t resort to lobbying for reappointment.

He described Okowa as a hero who has used his governance of the state to impact many lives including mentoring people around him.

“You know Senator Dr Ifeanyi Okowa is one personality I have come to take as a hero. I don’t give in to taking hero but his Excellency, Dr Okowa is one man I take time to listen to and in every moves he make he is teaching you.

“I have not see a man who doesn’t listen to gossip and one-sided stories. Some people, once they hear one-side story, they are okay to take decisions but Dr Okowa is one man who would sit every one down and listen carefully to what you have to say.

“He is one man who always hear everybody out and what marvels us is that he goes with one gentle voice. Such a man I don’t think he will give in to lobby.

“If you do well with your job, your job will speak for you, if you have not done well, your job will speak for you. His Excellency, Dr Okowa that I know is the type that knows the role he has for you to play. If that role is to go and carry ‘shit’ it mean that that role is very important and he want to achieve something good with it through you so I don’t think anyone should trouble his or her selves in that area of reappointment.

“I believe that we have a governor who is very meticulous with what he is doing and know who is working with him so when he has doubt about what you are doing he called you about it and he will ask you critical questions so I believe he knows everyone of us.

“The governor also knows many people who thought the governor doesn’t know them…he knows everyone of us. So Dr Okowa is not that kind of person you will go and lobby. He believes in his dream for Delta state and he knows what he is doing and knows those who are working with him”.

The information commissioner also spoke about the digitalization process of the state owned broadcast stations, DBS Warri and Asaba under the ministry of information, disclosing that the governor has apporoved fund for the programme which would fully commenced in the next dispensation.

He however dismissed report that he had ‘cornered’ an Outside Broadcast (OB) Van parked at the Commissioner’s Quarters in Asaba, for his personal use, saying keeping the equipment at the quarters was to ensure it was not vandalized.

Besides, he said that the state government has concluded plans to purchase a new OB Van to service both DBS stations in Asaba and Warri, saying that as part of revamping plans the state government had recently purchased eight special cameras for the two stations.

Ukah said that the Okowa-led administration was committed to repositioning of the Government Printing Press for commercial services to the general public and the sustainable growth of the state owned Pointer newspaper.

He commended the online media for promoting government programmes and events noting however that the online media was prone to so much abuse but expressed satisfaction that the leadership of DOPF was willing to embrace internal control mechanism of its members.

While saying that he had so much belief in the capacity of the online media to build a better society, he called on the leaders and members not to relent but to strive to ensure that they were not balkanized.