Love of our people propels us—Oturubo
They have surpassed our expectations—Community
As it is a norm in civilized climes that whenever a Government, Special Committee or Taskforce is inaugurated to execute a given task or implement a particular project, they are also expected to give either a situation or progress report as they clock 100 days in office.
The above universal best practice the Executive Council of Okerenkoko Federated Community, OFC, in Gbaramatu Kingdom, Delta State has quietly carried out without blowing their trumpets, instead allowed their achievements to speak for them.
According to the Okerenkoko residents, this Executive Council was inaugurated about 100 days ago and charged with the responsibility of incubating, nurturing and execution of the pioneer ‘Okerenkoko City Dream (OCD)’ under the efficient leadership of Hon. Akpodikumor Oturubo. But 100 days after, it is no longer a mere dream but a reality.
Very recently, GbaramatuVoice was on a fact-finding mission to the community as part of its social responsibility role of keeping the society informed and to as well ascertain the level of work done so far by this new Executive Council and possibly get a first-hand update from the members of the community.
This unscheduled visit of the sort turned out to be more revealing than expected as the Executive Council, as our crew gathered from the people, has within a short period of time surpassed their expectations.
Put this way by a member of the community, “the Executive Council has done within three months, what could have taken over one year to achieve”. This position GbaramatuVoice re-enforced after an objectified understudy of the various projects executed by this Council.
Capped with the three (3) thematic areas of focus which includes; Education, Infrastructural development, and human capital development, the Oturubo led Executive Council swung into action, working day and night and in compliance with the specified standards, a community indigene told GbaramatuVoice.
Also, GbaramatuVoice while being conducted around the community, gathered that this Executive Council has done marvelously well for the community. This according to our correspondent is evidently manifested from the joyous feelings expressed by the community members that spoke to him.
On Education, we gathered that within this short period of three months and some days under review, the new leadership has successfully provided over one thousand (1000) books and one thousand uniforms for both primary and secondary schools within the community.
The New Executive Council also, in making sure that teachers are well accommodated in order to give their best has flagged off the construction of the teachers quarters and work is in an advanced stage as it is verifiable from the pictures taken by our photo-journalist.
Still, on the teacher’s welfare, GbaramatuVoice was further informed that the Executive Council upon the assumption of duty paid off the seven (7) months outstanding salaries owed teachers as a way of getting them motivated. This development, an elated teacher that benefited from this visionary leadership, described as unprecedented.
GbaramatuVoice further gathered that the new Council had also within this short time and space in the office extended scholarship awards to two deserving students from the community. One from the primary and the other from the secondary school.
As a result of the above development in the community, parents told GbaramatuVoice while thanking the Council, that the zeal to acquire education has increased among children within the community occasioned by this midas and result from oriented leadership style imbibed by the Executive Council.
From education to infrastructural development, the story is not different as a tour around the community supports every claim.
Our correspondent stated after the visit to the community that Okerenkoko could safely be described as a construction site considering the degree of development projects that are ongoing within the community, courtesy of the new Executive Council.
A very good signpost to this claim is accentuated in the community town hall. With what GbaramatuVoice saw on ground, Okerenkoko City Dream (OCD) cannot just be a mere dream but has grown to become ‘’a dream come true’’.
The above expression, as supported by the pictures taken by our reporters reveals a town hall that was recently in a sorry state but now wears a new and attractive look.
GbaramatuVoice further gathered that the town hall was renovated and fitted with 200 ultra-modern chairs by the Oturubo led Executive Council.
As the community members are praising the committee for the purposeful leadership provided so far, the Council is not resting as they have since flagged off the community Radio House Project.
The above development, the community viewed as the right step taken in the right direction as this will help bridge the communication gap that existed between the community and the wider world.
This, Engr. Victor Ebikonde Sokoto, Secretary of the Council told GbaramatuVoice that Okerenkoko will soon join other communities to enjoy for the first time, a first-class radio network.
Correspondingly, the OFC development stride so far is not different in the areas of Human Capital Development as the committee has also recorded very appreciable achievements in this area.
In making sure that the children from the community are information technology compliant, the committee has succeeded in securing IT training placements for three undergraduates from the community.
In addition to the above, they have within this time frame ensured the conversion of five casual workers with an oil servicing company to full-time staff.
100 days scorecard, our best is yet to come-Oturubo
As a tradition in journalism, after all these visits, GbaramatuVoice decided to meet with the man at the centre of this development milestones, in the person of Hon. Akpodikumor Oturubo who is the Chairman, Okerenkoko Federated Community, and his team.
Welcoming our crew, the simple looking Oturubo thanked the people for their support so far. He further told GbaramatuVoice that this 100 days of being in the saddle have been eventfully garnished with hard work, commitments, and sacrifices from the members of the Council.
The Chairman expressed his appreciation to the members of the Council whom he described as brothers for their effort working round the clock to ensure that all projects were delivered as scheduled and expected, while advising them not to relent until Okerenkoko is transformed into a modern city.
GbaramatuVoice sought to know what is propelling the Council to render this degree of selfless service. This, the chairman responded this way; “It is the love of my people and by extension, the community that drives me and the members of my Executive Council to action.
He further stressed that members of his Executive Council are men of impeccable character that have succeeded in their various fields of endeavour, and as a result will not trade-off their reputation for mal-performance.
Other members of the Council collaborated his position and at the same time praised Oturubo leadership style, describing him as a workaholic that is not interested in excuses but results.
While urging the members of the community to come forward with useful advice that will contribute positively to their tasks of community building, the Council used the opportunity to thank the Executive Governor of the State, Senator (Dr) Ifeanyi Okowa; His Deputy, Dcn (Barr.) Kingsley Burutu Otuaro.
The members of the Council finally pledged that they will continue to use the scarce resources available to work for the betterment of the sons and daughters of Okerenkoko and general upliftment of the town.
It could be recalled that Okerenkoko Federated Community recently inaugurated a new Executive Council that will see to the actualization of the Okerenkoko City Dream (OCD).
The Council had Hon. Akpodikumor Oturubo as Chairman; Mr. Alex Governor, Vice Chairman; Engr. Sokoto Ebikonde Victor, Secretary-General; Mr. Nanadigha Super as the Public Relations Officer (PRO); among others.
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