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Delta Government says $40 million dollars is to be injected for the upgrade of agricultural activities at Songhai Delta in Amukpe under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement.

The Commissioner for Information, Mr. Charles Aniagwu disclosed this on Friday at Government House, Asaba, while briefing journalists on some of the decisions reached at the State Executive Council meeting presided over by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa.

Aniagwu said Songhai Delta would be upgraded in a joint venture between the state government and a consortium of firms to achieve set goals.

He added that the State Exco equally approved the upgrade of facilities at the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba, for effective hosting of the 2021 National Sports Festival to be hosted in the state in November, this year.

To further provide accommodation for athletes for the Sports Festival, the Commissioner said, 700 bed space hostel was approved for construction at the NYSC permanent orientation camp at Issele-Uku in Aniocha North Local Government Area of the state.

He added that approval was given for the furnishing and equipping of the Advanced Diagnostic Medical Centre as well as Mother and Child Centre, Owa-Alero in Ika North-East Local Government Area of the state.

In the area of roads infrastructure, Aniagwu disclosed that the State Exco approved the construction of access road to the Model Technical College, Obiaruku in Ukwuani Local Government Area as well as the reconstruction and rehabilitation of Onicha-Ugbo/Udumuje-Ugboko Road in Aniocha North.

According to him, Exco also approved the rehabilitation of internal roads in Oghara and Ofagbe, James Ezechi Road, Okpai in Ndokwa East, Achalla Ibusa Road in Oshimili North and Ilabor Road, Igbodo in Ika North-East among others.

The Commissioner added that Exco approved the furnishing and equipping of the leisure park and film village, Asaba.

In the area of empowerment and skills acquisition, he said approval was given for the third cycle of the Rural Youth Skills Acquisition Programme (RYSA) for 2022 to accommodate 810 youths in the state.

Under Delta Cares Scheme, Aniagwu said Exco approved areas one and two to take care of vulnerable groups and FADAMA project to meaningfully engage youths in partnership with the World Bank.

He said it was agreed at the Exco that members of the State Executive Council should redouble their efforts in the finishing strong agenda of the state government.

“At today’s Exco, a number of road projects cutting across the three senatorial districts were considered.

“For some, we have to embark on total reconstruction, for others they are entirely new projects and yet for some, they are for rehabilitation in addition to the upward review of some of the projects on account of fluctuations in prices and off course in some other areas, extension of the work that needed to be done.

“But that is not all. Beyond the roads, we also considered some other programmes aimed at alleviating poverty and indeed, improving the living conditions of our people.

“I will start with the issue of roads. At today’s Exco, we approved the reconstruction and rehabilitation of Onicha-Ugbo/Idumuje Ugboko Road in Aniocha North Local Government Area and we believe that that will add to the urban renewal drive of the state government in that area.

“We also approved the construction of more hostels in the NYSC permanent orientation camp in Issele-Uku. It is a 700 bed space hostel in addition to the ones we had built in the camp before.

“We are also hopeful that this will be carried out on time so that that facility would likely be available for us to deplore in the course of the National Sports Festival which is coming up in the state in November, this year.

“We are hopeful that the contractor that will handle that project will be fast enough so that we can take advantage of that hostel.

“We also approved the furnishing and equipping of the Advanced Diagnostic Medical Centre and Mother and Child Centre in Owa-Alero,” the Information Commissioner said.