Former Delta State Commissioner for Information, Chike Ogeah, has described the late former governor, Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan, as a visionary leader whose policies and programmes transformed governance and improved public services across the state.
Ogeah, who served in Uduaghan’s administration during his second term, said the former governor prioritised the welfare of residents through initiatives in healthcare, education, infrastructure and economic diversification.
He made the remarks in a statement dated October 19, 2026, while reacting to Uduaghan’s death in the early hours of Monday.
“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 pre-occupation was always what to do to improve the quality of living of the people and residents of Delta State,” Ogeah said.
He explained that Uduaghan measured development by its impact on people’s living standards rather than by economic indicators alone.
“To him, the major indices for measuring societal development is the living standard of the people. That is why he evolved a number of innovative programmes aimed at making life worthwhile for the people,” he said.
Ogeah highlighted the former governor’s maternal and child healthcare initiative, under which children under five, pregnant women and nursing mothers received free healthcare.
“One of the programmes that was very dear to him is to maternal and child care initiative. Through the programme, children under fives and all pregnant and nursing mothers enjoyed free health care,” he said.
He described the initiative as a major development in healthcare delivery in the country, attributing its implementation to Uduaghan’s medical background and administrative experience.
“The initiative revolutionized health services in Nigeria because it was unknown in the country. His background as an accomplished medical practitioner and administrator equipped him for the project and he drove it with immense passion,” Ogeah added.
In the education sector, Ogeah said Uduaghan invested in modern classrooms and well-equipped science laboratories across Delta State.
He also praised the EduMarshal project, which was designed to ensure that children of school age attended classes during school hours.
“The EduMarshal project he introduced gave vent to his policy that every child of school age has no business being outside the classroom during school hours,” he said.
Ogeah noted that the initiative included measures against parents whose children were found hawking on the streets during school hours.
“Parents of children found hawking wares on the streets during school hours were apprehended and prosecuted. And his passion for educational excellence was unparalleled,” he said.
He further recalled that Uduaghan introduced a scholarship scheme for Delta State indigenes who graduated with first-class degrees from Nigerian universities.
“He instituted a special scholarship scheme for graduates of Nigerian universities of Delta State origin with first class. Everyone of them got N5 million to study in any part of the world,” Ogeah said.
Ogeah said Uduaghan’s economic vision was reflected in the “Delta Beyond Oil” initiative, which sought to reduce the state’s dependence on crude oil and encourage the development of other sectors.
He described the policy as evidence that the former governor considered the state’s long-term economic future.
“In governance, the former Delta State Information Commissioner said his ‘Delta Beyond Oil’ initiative, demonstrated the vision of a leader who saw beyond his immediate time and environment,” the statement said.
Ogeah said the initiative drew attention to the fact that crude oil, despite being a major source of government revenue, was a finite resource.
“Nigerians got to know that crude oil which remains the mainstay of the economy is a finite resource that has a limited life span. He began the process of weaning Delta’s economy from dependence on oil and growing other sectors of the economy,” he said.
He added that the policy reflected the need for governments to prepare for a future in which oil revenue might no longer be sufficient to sustain development.
“The remarkable thing is the consciousness of the fact the crude oil will dry up at some point came from a governor whose state is seen as getting a lot of income from crude oil. It is to his credit that Nigeria and governments at all levels are beginning to address that inevitable development,” Ogeah said.
The former commissioner also listed several infrastructure projects undertaken during Uduaghan’s administration, including the construction and operationalisation of Asaba International Airport.
He said the airport helped open up Delta North to further development and recalled his involvement in securing approvals needed for its operations.
“One of his signature projects is the construction and operationalisation of Asaba International Airport which opened up Delta North to unprecedented development,” Ogeah said.
He added: “I had the privilege of being personally involved in its delivery having just left Sahcol as managing director. It afforded me the opportunity to liaise with some of my former colleagues in other aviation agencies in securing some of the necessary approvals for the operationalnalisation of the airport by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority.”
Ogeah also cited the Government House in Asaba and stadium projects in Warri and Sapele, including the Stephen Keshi Stadium, which he said had hosted international matches and served as the main venue for the 2022 National Sports Festival.
He praised Uduaghan’s approach to the distribution of infrastructure projects across the state, including in riverine and less accessible communities.
“Dr. Uduaghan displayed an amazing sense of fairness in the execution and citing of projects,” he said.
Ogeah said the former governor initiated the Trans-Warri–Ode-Itsekiri Road and Bridge project, which led to the completion of several bridges connecting communities in the riverine areas.
He also listed road projects in the Ndokwa area, including the 18.4-kilometre Ugiliama-Eweshioum-Ogume-Abbi Road and the 42.6-kilometre Iselegu-Utagba Uno-Obiaruku Road.
Ogeah further highlighted Uduaghan’s investment in specialist healthcare facilities, including those at the Mother and Child Hospital in Warri and the Delta State University Teaching Hospital in Oghara.
He said the former governor also extended his human-capital development efforts to the media industry by sponsoring journalists for specialised training abroad.
According to Ogeah, journalists from print and electronic media organisations in Delta State attended training at the Thomson Reuters Foundation Institute in London, with more than 40 practitioners benefiting from the programme.
Reflecting on his time working with the former governor, Ogeah described him as a leader 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,” he said.
He extended his condolences to Uduaghan’s wife and children, describing the former governor as a boss he would continue to cherish.
“I commiserate with his wife and children. He was a great boss I will always cherish. May God receive him in His paradise,” Ogeah said.