Former Delta State Commissioner for Information, Chike Ogeah, has described the late former governor, Dr Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan, as a visionary leader who revolutionised governance through innovative policies and programmes that improved the lives of residents.
Ogeah, who served as commissioner during Uduaghan’s second term, said the former governor prioritised the welfare of the people and demonstrated that state governments could do more to improve living standards.
He stated this in a condolence message issued on Monday following Uduaghan’s death in the early hours of the day.
“I am deeply saddened by the passing of this great man. I had the privilege of working closely with him in his second term as Commissioner for Information. His major preoccupation was always what to do to improve the quality of living of the people and residents of Delta State,” he said.
Ogeah said Uduaghan measured development largely by its impact on the living standards of the people, adding that his administration introduced several initiatives aimed at improving healthcare, education, infrastructure and economic diversification.
He described the maternal and child healthcare initiative as one of the former governor’s most significant programmes, noting that it provided free healthcare services to children under five, pregnant women and nursing mothers.
According to him, Uduaghan’s background as a medical practitioner and administrator helped shape the programme, which he said was driven by the former governor’s commitment to improving healthcare delivery.
On education, Ogeah recalled that the administration constructed modern classrooms and equipped science laboratories across the state. He also highlighted the EduMarshal programme, introduced to ensure that school-age children remained in classrooms during school hours.
Under the initiative, parents of children found hawking on the streets during school hours were apprehended and prosecuted, he said.
Ogeah added that Uduaghan established a special scholarship scheme for Delta State indigenes who graduated with first-class honours from Nigerian universities, with each beneficiary receiving N5 million to pursue further studies in any part of the world.
He also praised the former governor’s Delta Beyond Oil initiative, describing it as a forward-looking policy designed to reduce the state’s dependence on crude oil revenue and promote other sectors of the economy.
“Nigerians got to know that crude oil, which remains the mainstay of the economy, is a finite resource that has a limited lifespan. He began the process of weaning Delta’s economy from dependence on oil and growing other sectors of the economy,” Ogeah said.
On infrastructure, he identified the establishment of Asaba International Airport as one of Uduaghan’s signature projects, saying it opened up Delta North to greater development.
Ogeah, who said he was personally involved in efforts to secure necessary approvals for the airport’s operation after leaving his position as managing director of SAHCOL, also cited the construction of the Government House in Asaba, stadiums in Warri and Sapele, and the Stephen Keshi Stadium as notable achievements.
He noted that the Stephen Keshi Stadium had hosted international football matches and served as the main venue for the 21st National Sports Festival in 2022.
The former commissioner further commended Uduaghan’s approach to the distribution of infrastructure across the state, particularly projects designed to improve access to riverine communities.
He said the former governor initiated the Trans-Warri–Ode-Itsekiri Road and Bridge project, which resulted in the completion of six bridges, including bridges one to seven along the alignment in the Ifiekporo community, linking key riverine areas, while work also commenced on other spans.
Ogeah also listed the 18.4-kilometre Ugiliama-Eweshioum-Ogume-Abbi Road and the 42.6-kilometre Iselegu-Utagba Uno-Obiaruku Road among projects executed in the Ndokwa area.
In the health sector, he said Uduaghan established tertiary healthcare facilities with specialist services, including the Mother and Child Hospital in Warri and the Delta State University Teaching Hospital in Oghara.
He added that the former governor invested in human capital development in the media by sponsoring batches of journalists from print and electronic media organisations in Delta State for specialised training at the Thomson Reuters Foundation Institute in London.
According to him, more than 40 practising journalists benefited from the training programme.
Ogeah said he remained grateful for the opportunity to work with Uduaghan, describing him as a boss whose commitment to public service left a lasting impression on him.
“I was greatly inspired by Dr Uduaghan’s sense of service to the people. It was a great privilege to have worked closely with him. I commiserate with his wife and children. He was a great boss I will always cherish. May God receive him in His paradise,” he said.