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I DID NOT INHERIT ANY DEBTS BUT CONTACTUAL OBLIGATIONS, SAYS UDUAGHAN
...GETS DELTA CENTRAL ENDORSEMENT Delta State governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan has said that his administration did not inherit any debt from his predecessor in office, Chief James Ibori. Speaking against the backdrop of insinuations that the huge debts inherited from the previous administration, was impacting negatively on his administration, the asserted that there was no such thing. "I did not meet any debt on assumption office . . . what we saw on ground were contractual obligations which are normal in every administration and government", he stated while addressing a meeting of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Delta Central Senatorial District, held at Oghara. “By the time I will be leaving office, there will be contractual obligations for the in-coming administration and this is what obtains in other states and at the federal level", he added Dr Uduaghan disclosed that between September and November, the government settled outstanding certificates worth about N25 billion, stressing that as the payments were being made, new certificates were emerging. According to him, some developments and circumstances beyond the state informed the new regime of financial regulations and frugality adopted by the government. Emphatically, Dr. Uduaghan declared that his administration was a continuation of the last government and went on to say that whatever project that was started by his predecessor has to be completed. He clarified that derivation funds accruing to the state had dropped in the last two years and alluded this to the vandalisation of pipelines connecting Shell's locations in the state to the Forcados Terminal. According to Dr. Uduaghan, "Pipelines to the Forcados Terminal were damaged during the Warri crisis and this led to the shutdown of production since most of our oil wells did not produce one drop of oil for two years." He further clarified that since allocation was based on previous production, the state has moved from her number one status to number four. The governor, who also cited the ceding of 89 oil wells in Warri North to Ondo state as reason for the dwindling state revenue, further said that with the setting up of the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, the state government has a statutory obligation of remitting 50 percent of the derivation fund to the commission. Some of the developments include the none-oil production for about two years in the state; loss of 89 oil wells to neighbouring Ondo state; and statutory allocation of 50 per cent of the state's 13 per cent derivation fund to the DESOPADEC. Meanwhile, the people of Delta Central Senatorial District have passed an overwhelming vote of confidence on Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan. The epoch-making vote took place at Oghara, headquarters of Ethiope West local government area, during an enlarged end of year gathering of members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Delta Central with the governor. In moving the motion, the member representing Ethiope Federal Constituency in the Federal House of Representatives, Hon. John Halims Agoda said, "As the longest serving member of the National Assembly in Delta state, the people of Delta Central note and appreciate your remarkable achievement within a short period in office." "These achievements rested on your three-point agenda of peace and security, human capital and infrastructure development." "In order to encourage you and do more for Delta state, I, John Halims Agoda of Delta Central do hereby pass a vote of confidence on our governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan." The motion which was seconded by the member representing Ughelli South in the state House of Assembly, Hon. Taleb Tebite, was unanimously adopted by all the notable Urhobo sons and daughters present. They include the Senator representing Delta Central, Senator Adego Eferakeya, Chief Ighoyota Amori and the Minister of Works and Housing, Chief (Mrs.) Patience Ekpiwhre. Speaking to our reporter, Mrs. Ekpiwhre said the confidence vote on the governor was well deserved. "It's an affirmation that the governor has good plans for the state and is in fact, doing well," Mrs. Ekpiwhre added.   
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