Ehiwarior: 100 days after ~ Truth Reporters

By Williams Eghebi 

Exactly this 23rd day of October, Engr. Jerry Ehiwarior, marks  hundred days in office as Chairman, Ika South Local Government. His emergence as council boss will for a long time be a source of conjectures considering that in a transparent democracy, to swap the office of a commissioner for chairman of local government is a demotion.  That decision was actually worrying for many of us. 

It was disturbing because we were going to lose secured  access to Government House. The community too lost a voice at the state executive. To us, it  was a catastrophic venture that may only be beneficial to the young man alone. 

With hindsight, it became obvious that it was indeed a very smart move. Engr. Jerry Ehiwarior has now  found himself at home with his people which invariably will play pivotal influence in  his future political decisions. The constituents and Ika South residents have swiftly realized that there can actually be something good from local administration. 

When the news broke that the local government had awarded contract for the tarring of Abude Street, only a few took it serious. How can a local government be able to tar roads when previous administrations could not clear waste from the streets? That was our thought. Behold, the job did not only start but several others like Alihame Neighbourhood Market, Grocery shops at Edike Street Junction, water borehole and toilet units at Alifekede Roadside Market,  as well as completing the Orogodo River link Bridge that connects Edike Street with the other side of Agbor Metropolis were approved. 

Engr. Jerry Ehiwarior is doing huge image laundry for the state government probably unknown to him. Since the exit of Senator Ifeanyi Okowa as Governor of Delta State, there are just patchy signs of presence of government in Ika South. Work has long stopped on the Medical College of University of Delta,  Agbor. It is understood that failure to review the contract sum due to gallopy inflation is responsible. Mariere Street which incidentally hosts PDP Secretariat will no doubt find space in the Guinness Book of Records as the longest contract to execute. The young man  may not be able to meet all expectations but his ability to listen to divergence complaints with infectious smiles appears to be his greatest tool. 

There is no machination that will bridle the tongues of the people against identifying failures in government. When government does good, we must identify. In the same manner, we should speak when the reverse becomes the case. 

 

While we look up to the commissioning of the various projects embarked on by the Ehiwarior-led local government before the yuletide, we must not overwhelm him with unnecessary praises. After all, what he's doing are statutory duties in civilized climes. 

In his maiden speech on assumption of office, Engr. Ehiwarior offered to put an end to kidnapping amongst several other promises. Today, the people of Abavo hardly go to farm. In fact, there was a report of a housewife that was picked from her outdoor bathroom. It is sad that kidnapping no longer finds space on the  front pages of newspapers. It seems we are gradually accepting it as norm. This cannot be allowed to continue while politics leaders pop champagnes. The chairman needs to plough in more energies to protect the people. 

While congratulating him for the string of successes he has thus far put under his belt, I must advise that his eyes should remain fixed for a steady course as many landmines are ahead. 

Jerry, stay the course; sustain the speed.