Okowa Emerges Best Governor on Good Governance Poll

•  Delta presents certificate of awards, cash prizes to NMA

Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba and Ugo Aliogo in Lagos

Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, has emerged ‘Best Governor – Grassroots & People Development in the 2018 Nigeria’s Good Governance Poll,’ organised by the African Leadership Magazine UK.

This is coming as the Permanent Secretary, Delta State Ministry of Health, Dr. Minnie Oseji, has presented certificate of awards and cash prize of N50,000 to each of the two bodies of the state branch of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) that emerged co-winners for the implementation of the association’s strategic plan.

THISDAY learnt that his globally acclaimed huge strides in the development of entrepreneurial and technical skills and job creation for youths, women and the less- privileged, as well as massive infrastructural development and creation of enabling environment for investment in Delta State stood Okowa him out among other governors to emerge winner in this category.

The organisers in a statement made public by the Publisher, Dr. Ken Giami, said Okowa emerged winner from the collation of both offline and online votes across all the channels and platforms.

The statement added that Okowa and other winners would be decorated and presented with the paraphernalia of honour and award on September 25, 2018 at a ceremony expected to be witnessed by “over 300 political, business and diplomatic leaders in New York, at the International Forum on African Leadership, on the sideline of the United Nations General Assembly Meeting in New York.”

It named winners in other categories to include: Governors Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, Nasiru El-Rufai of Kaduna State, Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo of Gombe State and Akinwumi Ambode of Lagos State.

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) headed by the Executive Vice-Chairman, Prof. Danbatta, also emerged as the Best Government Institution for the year.

The poll, which is in its third year, has become a veritable tool for measuring performance among Nigeria’s state and regional leaders.

Meanwhile, the Permanent Secretary, Delta State Ministry of Health, Dr. Minnie Oseji, has presented certificate of awards and cash prize of N50,000 to each of the two bodies of the state branch of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) that emerged co-winners for the implementation of the association’s strategic plan.

Oseji who disclosed this yesterday in a statement, added that she made the presentations recently at the Agbarha-Otor, Ughelli North Local Government Area (LGA) during the Annual General Meeting/Scientific Conference of the NMA, Delta State Branch.

She said as part of her contribution to the Association, she volunteered to donate the prize money of N100, 000 for implementers of the plan.

Oseji added that when she was appointed the chairperson, house and project committee of the association, she felt the need to develop a five-year plan for the state branch of NMA, in order to implement some key resolutions of the historic 2013 National Health Summit hosted by the former State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan.

She also used the medium to appreciate the association’s chairman, for the construction of the NMA state chapter house at Asaba which is a major activity of the plan.

The statement said, “Medical Women Association of Nigeria, Delta State Chapter, one of the winners of the award carried out activities such as donation of 1,000 copies of the book titled ‘Let’s Talk about Menstruation’, sanitary pads, notebooks and snacks to girls in various schools in the State. They also gave health talks to 3,270 adolescents from 46 schools across the state, screened over 1200 women at their cervical screening centers, collaborated with Seplat Nigeria Limited to distribute safe motherhood bags and gave free medical care to 2,965 women amongst others.

“As for the Asaba zone of the NMA they were involved in school health programmes, visited orphanage homes and old people homes as well as gave public health education services in the mass media (television and print media). “The activities so far carried out by the two bodies no doubt have positively impacted the lives of residents of the State and improved the public perception of the association.”