Hon. Pascal Adigwe, is one of Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa’s advisers. In the interview with Charles Okogene, he revealed all the development efforts of the governor, most of which he is directly instrumental to. Happy reading.
After your attempt to replace Senator Patrick Osakwe as the Senator representing Delta North at the Senate, not much has been heard of you. Are you still in politics?
Yes I’m. Politics is like market, There are different ways to enter into and play in it. There is elective politics whereby one is known and stuck to contesting elections winning or not. Also appointive politics where one never contests for any office but works for, backs or supports those running with the hope to get appointed when they win. Then also, there is sponsorship politics where one sponsors a candidate financially and otherwise with the hope of patronage when they win.
So yes, I’m not contesting elections for now due to some factors but I’m actively in other forms of politics both at local, state and national level.
In your days at the House of Representatives, you did a lot by attracting many projects to Delta North, do you like the present near zero level of lack of Federal presence in the area?
Thank God I did. The factors that bring a project are numerous, tortuous and varied.
You must have a clear understanding of your place vis a vis their needs assessment and priorities from day one, then you weave them into a vision then you humble and equip yourself to investigate their possibility and route to take, the apparent obstacles and how to surmount them, then you embark on the mission. For example, the Ogwashi Dam. My town sits on altitude of about 475 meters above sea level so natural water and ordinary borehole is almost impossible so we need industrial water, get the dam and it will trickle down to other towns and entire constituency with no cost. We had someone who was strong in Water Resources Ministry Abuja so it would be easy. So as I got to the Reps I moved in on the Committee and today you have the Dam.
Second: I imagined the benefits to Illah and Ebu if the whole Eastern travelers pass there to Abuja. So I moved into Works Committee and became strong to the extent of bringing that road and Utor Bridge, which cuts off8 more than two hours of our travel time to Abuja. Let’s leave the economics of these projects to your fathom.
Thirdly, we were derided that we are not oil producing area and so wouldn’t be considered in NDDC budgets and programmes. I cashed in on President Obasajo’s visit to Okpanam to busy Nzogwu’s mother and explained it to him and the then Governor Ibori. He directed me to Hon Emma Agwariawodo then the MD of NDDC. I moved in and changed the toga. Today NDDC projects litter our place.
And very many other projects seen and unseen, eg employment opportunities. When my colleagues go to ministries and agencies to ask for contracts, I go cap in hand begging for employment. You saw my parents’ burials, those people in different uniforms like police, immigration, costoms, military, civil service they are the beneficiaries eg ask Henry in your town.
Now, you don’t see a lot like this because people go to this political market for different products and also this market environment could be hostile and different too. So don’t blame them so much. Mad person may wish to eat roasted meat but who will give him the fire. The politics of the country is funny now.
Two years ago, some of us saw your effort (s) in making sure there is pipe borne water in Ogwashi, what is the situation now?
Yes, water means a lot to me. The state government helped me. We revamped the old water reservoir and other sources and then changed the old asbestos pipe to latest heavy duty pipes and we have water now in a large part of Ogwashi running as we speak. Like Azungwu, Umudei, Ishekpe, Ogbe Ubu etc spanning to about six kilometers coverage.
The latest move now is USAID/DELTA for three more sources and about 14 kilometers coverage, which should substantially cover the entire town and even beyond. It will happen soon.
Note also the whole route covered has been covered with street lights on account of my struggle and helped by our Senator
Aside the Ishiekpe internal road that the state Government is reconstructing, what is the state of roads in that town and other towns in Aniocha South LGA?.
I served copiously in the transition committee that ushered in Gov Okowa’s government and we agreed on urban renewal of which Ogwashi Uku in Aniocha South was penciled down.
I sponsored the mapping of the roads in the town and the crucial ones are 22. This is a white paper to be used going forward.
We have achieved very many of them like the Agidiehe, Mission, Part of Agifiasei, Ogwashi to Ubulu Unor Road, Council Road.
Note also that Idumu Ogwude to Ogbe Ubu to St Rose’s by NDDC through our Senator, has been done.
Many hands came on deck to achieve these.
We had done Azungwu, Ogbe Ihago, Ogbe Ofu, Okonjo’s Crescent, Inner Agidiasei part earlier.
We also have many in pipe line including the St Patrick’s Catholic Church Road, which the contractor has not gone far but caught up with the issues in NDDC.
So, I would say we are rapidly capturing the roads in the town and if we continue like this, it won’t be long the whole town will be covered.
As for other towns a lot of work has gone in by me and many others.
See Ubulu Unor, Ubulu Okiti, Nsukwa to Ejeme, Ubulu Ukwu etc.
You seem to be actively involved in supervision of works in the road and water projects; what is your own. Are you the facilitator?
I humbly would say yes that I’m a major facilitator and I had to now supervise in person because I have found out how wicked the world is. How far, wide and wild they take ones name should anything go wrong. So I breathe on the neck of the contractors to ensure they deliver.
And why is it that all amenities coming to Aniocha South ends in Ogwashi. What of other towns like Adonte, Nsukwa, Isheagwu, Ewulu, Abbah Unor etc?
It will be ridiculous and ungrateful of any one to harbor or suggest such.
Over five roads have been and being done in Ubulu Uku, Ubulu Okiti has been done so well and more coming. Ubulu Unor has one of the longest road of eleven kilometers done in our area now. Ubulu Unor has been linked to Ubulu Uku.
Express through Nsukwa to Ejeme is nylon tarred now.
Ubulu Unor to Ashama of over 2kms has been awarded by NDDC through our Senator.
Very many schools have been rebuilt to standard everywhere including Adonte your town.
Check well and help correct this impression please.
There’s no road in entire Ogwashi that’s more than three kilometers But we are on top of the other roads too like Express to Isheagu to Ewulu nine kilometers has just been awarded by state government.
My talk has gone far with our Senator for the 11 kilometer Express to Ewulu town.
I have gone far with talks with the Governor to link the three kilometers Abah road done by our Senator to Adonte to Ashama then later through Abodei to Ogwashi.
Adonte Union President General shall be going with me the same way we did with President General of Isheagu to the Governor and I can assure that the Gov Okowa that I know will do it.
This same Ishiekpe road was few years ago by DLA and it collapsed months after and it set tongues wagging. Has any sanction be meted out to DLA officials that did the shoddy job instead of this full scale reconstruction job the govt is doing with you as ‘site’ supervisior?
Hmmmm. The road was initially done by Direct Labour Agency DLA primarily to recover a 20 meters terribly bad portion. Hardly did we know the flood that goes through there was so high that their capacity couldn’t stand, so the road failed.
They called for my head, I became their object of abuse and attack. Enemies and the envious and the wicked who dinned with me found an instrument. Even the discerning joined. Does DLA give contracts but they didn’t care. I saw raw wickedness but many are the afflictions of the righteous but our Lord will deliver him from them all.
God has shamed them. Governor heard my cry and came to my rescue.
I took real engineers from works ministry, they thoroughly investigated the road, established the problems and gave a very experienced engineering company the charge.
Go now and see what is going on. It’s unbelievable.
I have been vindicated.
What is the situation of Adonte/Ubulu Unor/Ashama/Egbudu Aka/Abbah Unor to Ogwashi road?
Like others; it will be done. Talks have gone far. Just let’s pray the economy recovers substantially and watch our governor in action. He loves us. I have planned it with Adonte Union President, Mr. Ifeanyi Okonma but we have to be quiet till it materializes.
Lastly sir, do you think Okowa’s governorship has favoured Aniocha more than what they got when people from other ethnic nationalities were in charge.
Need I say more.
Don’t you have eyes,
Other than roads and other infrastructures can you not see how many appointments he gave us.
Can you not see his open naked attention and love towards us.
We should all continue to pray for him and every opportunity we have we use it to support him as a thank you for what he has done for us. It’s uncommon and unparalleled. The difference is clear.
Glory be to God.
