The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Warri Correspondents’ Chapel, has called on the Delta State Government to sustain and strengthen the welfare programmes introduced by the late former governor of the state, Dr Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan, particularly in healthcare, education, transportation and journalists’ professional development.
The chapel made the call in a communiqué issued at the end of its congress held on Friday, October 23, 2026, while expressing condolences to the family of the former governor, who died on Monday, October 19, 2026.
The journalists said the late governor’s eight-year administration introduced and supported several initiatives that positively affected the lives of residents, adding that such programmes should not be allowed to disappear following his death.
The congress specifically recalled Uduaghan’s contributions to journalists’ welfare and professional development, including the sponsorship of media practitioners for training programmes in the United Kingdom.
It also acknowledged the provision of working tools for journalists, particularly members of the Warri Correspondents’ Chapel, describing the interventions as part of the former governor’s support for the media profession.
The chapel noted that investing in journalists’ professional development and providing them with necessary working equipment helped strengthen their capacity to carry out their duties.
On healthcare, the congress highlighted the free maternal and child healthcare programme introduced by the Uduaghan administration, which operated throughout his eight years in office.
According to the communiqué, the programme provided critical healthcare support to mothers and children across the state, helping to improve access to essential medical services for beneficiaries.
The journalists also recalled the establishment of the Mother and Child Care Centre at the Central Hospital, Warri, as part of the former governor’s efforts to improve maternal and child healthcare delivery.
The chapel said the healthcare interventions remained among the notable social welfare initiatives of the administration, stressing the need for the state government to preserve and strengthen programmes that address the medical needs of women and children.
The congress further commended the late governor’s transportation initiatives, including free bus rides for pupils and students across Delta State, subsidised intra-city and inter-city transportation, and the introduction of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) scheme.
It noted that the initiatives were designed to ease transportation costs for residents, improve mobility and make movement between communities and urban centres more affordable.
The free transportation arrangement for pupils and students was particularly recognised as an intervention aimed at reducing the financial burden on families and improving access to education.
The chapel also recalled the Edu-Marshall programme, which was introduced to tackle the problem of out-of-school children in the state.
It said the programme reflected the administration’s concern about educational access and the need to bring children who were not attending school back into the education system.
The congress observed that the various initiatives, covering healthcare, education, transportation and media development, demonstrated the reach of the former governor’s policies into different aspects of public life.
It therefore urged the Delta State Government and other relevant stakeholders to sustain the programmes and strengthen their implementation wherever necessary, in the interest of residents who benefited from them.
The chapel stressed that the continued implementation of beneficial public policies would help preserve their impact beyond the tenure of the administration that introduced them.
Beyond the assessment of his administration’s programmes, the congress extended its condolences to Uduaghan’s immediate family, the Delta State Government and the people of the state over his death.
It prayed God to grant the bereaved family, the government, the people of Delta State and all others mourning the former governor the fortitude to bear the loss, while also praying for the peaceful repose of his soul.
The communiqué was issued by the drafting committee comprising Elo Edremoda, Success Okuchemiya and Samuel Ogude.