Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, representing Delta Central today(24/11/08) presented end of term report and score card to the Urhobo nation listing about 25 bills and projects he attracted to the Urhobo nation saying “We have delivered on our promises, and today Delta Central is better positioned to play a strategic role in national politics.”
He added, “The Urhobo people shouldn’t forget in a hurry how the PDP marginalized the 5th largest ethnic group in Nigeria and the largest ethnic group in Delta. Do not be deceived, Buhari will win again and Urhobo should be part of the success by massively supporting APC and voting for Buhari, Ogboru, myself and indeed for all APC candidates in 2019.”
The event which was held at the PTI Conference Centre, Effurun attracted traditional rulers, opinion leaders from Urhobo land, Youths and Women organizations as well as APC stakeholders and leaders. This resulted to heavy traffic jam along the Effurun/Ughelli express way and adjoining streets.
During the question and answer session, Senator Omo-Agege said the issue of herdsmen should not be politicised and that they should not be called Fulani herdsmen stressing that anybody found with arms should be arrested and blamed the police for not arresting herdsmen seen carrying AK 45
He said the Warri port was being dredged that hoped that it would be completed soon. He said the Warri port will provide employment for hundred of youths as well as the Okwagbe riverport which the federal government working on
Below is the address by the Senator on the occasion:
RESTORING URHOBO GREATNESS
BY
SENATOR OVIE-OMO-AGEGE,
THE OBARISI OF URHOBO LAND
PROTOCOL
Recognize and thank some VIPs personally for coming and previous support.
It gives me great pleasure and a sense of responsibility to stand before the Urhobo nation to present the report of my stewardship to the very good people of Delta Central Senatorial District, whose gracious and most generous mandate in the 2015 general elections I exercise today on their behalf. My election into the Senate was a popular one, driven by the determination of the people to elect their own senator, devoid of imposition and manipulation; it is a product of the democratic enterprise of the common man, in all Urhobo towns and villages across Delta central.
It is exactly 2 years 9 months 27 days that I was sworn in as the Distinguished Senator representing Delta Central Senatorial District of Delta State at the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It would have been three and half years but you know that I came late into the Nigerian Senate after a tense legal struggle to reclaim my electoral mandate.
However, having won the nominations of the All Progressives Congress, I thought it was important to revert to the people who sent me, to present my report card to you and hear from you so as to further strengthen the bond that inclines me towards rendering quality and impressive representation of the people in the Red Chambers, the highest legislative platform in Nigeria.
May I now use this opportunity to thank all those who cast their vote for me in the 2015 election! I also wish to thank all those who did not vote for me in 2015 but could still vote me whenever the opportunity arises. It is your democratic right to vote your choice candidate and I am glad I got the highest votes as confirmed by the courts. Thank you and May God richly bless you all.
When we campaigned in 2015, I made a promise to the Urhobo people that if given the mandate to represent them in the Nigeria Senate, I would work to raise the profile of Urhobo in the politics of state and country and restore its greatness.
Today, I’m proud that we have kept our promises and upheld our part of the bargain. Whether on the floor of the senate or outside, the Urhobo voice was heard loud and clear and that’s because I refused to be intimidated or cowed. We sponsored nine bills and co-sponsored two, attracted 43 federal government funded projects to Delta Central Senatorial District and are providing strong leadership for Urhobo in the politics of state and country.
BILLS
- A Bill for an Act to Prohibit Sexual Harassment in Educational Institutions and for Matters Connected Therewith, 2016 – PASSED BY THE SENATE AND NOW IN THE HOUSE FOR CONCURRENCE.
- A Bill for an Act to Establish the Federal University of Petroleum Resources (FUPRE), Effurun and for Other Matters Connected Thereto, 2016 – PASSED BY BOTH CHAMBERS AND ASSENTED TO BY PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI
- Electoral Act No. 6, 2010 (Amendment) Bill 2016 – PASSED BY BOTH THE RED AND GREEN CHAMBERS.
- Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (Amendment) Bill 2016 – PASSED BY BOTH THE RED AND GREEN CHAMBERS.
- Court of Appeal Act (Amendment) Bill 2016
- National Industrial Court Act (Amendment) Bill 2016
- A Bill for an Act to Amend the Company and Allied Matters Act (Amendment) Act and Establish States Corporate Affairs Commissions, 2016 – GONE THROUGH PUBLIC HEARING
- Dormant Accounts Bill, 2016
- Compulsory Hemoglobin – Genotype Screening Bill, 2016 – co-sponsored with Distinguished Senator Ahmed Ogembe (Kogi Central)
- A Bill for an Act to Establish the National Electoral Offences Commission and for other Matters Connected thereto, 2017 – co- sponsored with Distinguished Senator Abu Kyari (Borno North)
- Chartered Institute of Shipping of Nigeria (Establishment, etc) Bill, 2018.
INFRASTRUCTURAL PROJECTS
Of the 43 federal government projects that I facilitated to Urhobo, 24 projects, representing 55 percent have been completed, while one is ongoing.
They are as follows:
- Sanubi-Ugono-Orogun Road, Orogun, Ughelli North LGA
- Supply and Installation of Dental and Ophthalmological equipment at Mariere Specialist Hospital Ughelli
- Upgrade of existing town distribution network (TDN) & construction of 11kv/415, 300kva
- Design, supply and installation of solar street lights at Igun town, Ethiope East LGA
- Construction of 30,000 gallons Braithwaite (PS 4000) 2 Nos. solar powered water scheme with pipelines network at Ophori, Agbarho, Agbarho Ughello North LGA
- Construction OF 50,000 gallons Braithwaite (PS 4000) S nos. solar powered water scheme with pipelines network at Orogun Town
- Construction of 50,000 gallons Braithwaite (PS 4000) s nos. solar powered water scheme with pipelines network at Abraka Town
- Construction of Primary Health Care Centre in Irhodo II /Jesse
- Construction of Primary Health Care Centre in Omavovwe, Agbarha Ughelli North LGA
- Erosion control/construction of drains at Ugomo- Orogun
- Upgrading of existing town distribution network (TDN) & construction of 11kva / 415, 300kva transformer substations in Effurun, Uvwie LGA
- Design, supply and installation of solar street lights at Eboh & Orhomuru Orogun
- Construction of 50,000 gallons Braithwaite (PS 4000) s nos. solar powered water scheme with pipelines network at ORHUWHORUN
- Design, supply and installation of street lights at Ovu
- Design, supply and installation of solar street lights at Effurun Otor
- Design, supply and installation of solar street lights at Egbo-Ide
- Design, supply and installation of solar street lights at Eboh & Orhomuru Orogun
- Construction supply installation of 10,000 gallons of Braithwaite solar powered water supply scheme complete with pipes network each at Ughelli main market, Ughelli
- Dualization of Sapele-Ewu Road, section 1 & 2 in Delta and Edo State
- Construction of 50,000 gallons Braithwaite (PS 4000) s nos. solar powered water scheme with pipelines network at Aladja Town
- Construction of 50,000 gallons Braithwaite (PS 4000) S nos. solar powered water scheme with pipelines network at Orhuwhorun Town
- Construction of 50,000 gallons Braithwaite (PS 4000) S nos. solar powered water scheme with pipelines network at EWU TOWN
- Design, supply and installation of solar street lights at Aghalope Town
- Design, supply and installation of solar street lights at Ibadan Amukpe
- Design. supply and installation of solar street lights at Ejikimoni Town, Sapele
MARKET WOMEN CASH EMPOWERMENT:
We have also empowered 6000 (six thousand) women in 20 markets spread across the 8 Local Government Areas in Delta Central. In each market 300 women who are engaged in petty trading were chosen and were given N20,000.each. The markets are as follows:
- Ughelli North – Ughelli, Orogun and Agbarho
- Ughelli South- Ewu&Otokutu;
- Udu – Jigbale&Ubogo; Uvwie-
- Effurun, Ekpan&Ugborikoko;
- Sapele- Amukpe&Sapele main market;
- Ethiope West- Oghara, Mosogar& Jesse;
- Ethiope East- Eku, Abraka&Kokori;
- Okpe – Orerokpe, Adeje, Ughoton, Jeddo, & Ugbokodo
RESTORING URHOBO GREATNESS
The hard work to make Urhobo Great Again has begun.Think about how the Urhobo nation is better off, thanks to President Muhammadu Buhari and APC, Urhobo is now linked to by rail to Aladja after 34 years that the project was abandoned. Retirees of Delta Steel Company are now being paid their entitlements after over years of neglect.Urhobo sons and daughters are now appointed various very important positions in the federal government, the latest being the appointment of Sir Richard Odibo as member National Population Commission representing Delta state.
Chief Great Ogboru has emerged as the governorship candidate of the ruling national party in Delta State and he will win the governorship in 2019, thereby ending years of marginalization of the Urhobo people in Delta state politics. The last time that happened was in 2003 when Chief Ibori won reelection for a second term.
You will recall that Urhobo nation always ally with the ruling national political parties such as the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC), the National Party of Nigeria (NPN), the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) up till the 2003 elections. That was the period Urhobo was truly great.
Since 2003 when Urhobo turned its back on PDP, there has been apparent conflict of interest crisis faced by Urhobo faced in the last four general elections,when the Urhobo people had to vote for PDP in the presidential elections and against PDP in other elections. This made it impossible for Urhobo to have the influence it deserves it deserves and thus diminishing our standing in national politics. The cost has been enormous to the Urhobo people both in terms of economic and political empowerment of its people and development of Urhobo Nation.
It was a difficult challenge but rather than shy away from it, I decided to confront it and made it a top priority. I chose to caucus with the APC immediately I was sworn in. And following the defection of members of the Labour Party in Delta state led by Chief Ogboru to APC, I later defected to APC.
Today the conflict has been resolved. Urhobo is now aligned to the ruling national party and once again back to the mainstream of party politics in Nigeria where it rightly belongs. More importantly, Urhobo can now vote for progressives in both state and national elections to maximally leverage on its demographic strength politically,with confidence that Urhobo will soon reclaim its pride of place in state and national politics.
Let me just point out that dealing with this conflict of interest was not easy. It came at huge personal cost.It would have been more convenient and rewarding personally to avoid facing the challenge by siding with the leadership of the senate that is determined to obstruct the agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari in every way possible. But I am glad that I chose the path of honour and did what is in the best interest of my people. Together, we can now restore Urhobo Greatness.
Promises Made, Promises Kept
We have delivered on our promises, and today Delta Central is better positioned to play a strategic role in national politics. And as we approach another critical election, it’s important that President Buhari and the APC are given the chance to build on this success so Urhobo can continue its revival.
The Urhobo people shouldn’t forget in a hurry how the PDP marginalized the 5th largest ethnic group in Nigeria and the largest ethnic group in Delta. Do not be deceived, Buhari will win again and Urhobo should be part of the success by massively supporting APC and voting for Buhari, Ogboru, myself and indeed for all APC candidates in 2019.
It’s important that we are given the chance to build on this success and continue the effort to restore Urhobo greatness. Our future lies in APC, a national party that will give Urhobo the opportunity to be great again..
Sending me back to the senate as a ranking senator, with President Mahammadu in command in Abuja and Chief Great Ogboru in charge in Asaba will strengthen me to do more for Delta Central and the Urhobo people.
Thank you and God bless.
BEING END OF TERM REPORT AND SCORE CARD of Senator Ovie Omo-Agege.
