Delta to readjust 2020 budget in favour of daily income earners, agric sector – Okowa

Governor of Delta state, Ifeanyi Okowa, in a bid to assist daily income earners and further boost the agricultural sector for steady food supply, may soon unveil a new economic blueprint that would drastically reduce poverty and hunger in this era of COVID-19 pandemic.

He made the disclosure while speaking as a special guest at “The Platform,” a public affairs talk show, produced by Pastor Poju Oyemade, and aired on Channels Television at the weekend.

According to Governor Okowa, the Delta state government will do the needful to remodel its priorities in the 2020 budget, so as to accommodate daily income earners and further encourage the agricultural sector.

He added that the advent of COVID-19 pandemic and its socio-economic imbalances requires deliberate social investments that would directly or indirectly assist vulnerable citizens to survive these trying periods.

To achieve these noble objectives, the governor disclosed that the state economic team under his supervision would ensure that social investment becomes one of the focal points of the re-adjusted 2020 budget, such that those captured in the programme do not have to suffer unnecessarily.

Reacting to the governor’s socio-economic remodelling plans, his Executive Assistant on Communications, Dr. Fred Oghenesivbe, on Sunday, said government’s deliberate efforts to augment the informal sector as the state navigates through COVID-19 pandemic, goes to show that the administration is focused on the welfare and well-being of Deltans.

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He noted that the partial lockdown and its socio-economic imbalances necessitated the intervention of government, which is why the governor is working round the clock to ensure that the foreseeable hardships occasioned by the outbreak of COVID-19, does not overwhelm vulnerable Deltans.

“Government readjustment plan is the way forward, so as to effectively and efficiently cushion the effects of partial state lockdown, tame acute poverty and hunger choking daily income earners in the state.

“The implantation strategies of assistance to vulnerable citizens shall be worked out and announced by government at the right time, such that would meet public expectations and may follow certain criteria.

“It is glaring that Governor Okowa, has once again, displayed his unrepentant penchant for the peoples welfare, well-being and above all, a sagacious display of his capacity to manage scarce resources in times of perceived economic crisis cum recession, as in the instant case occasioned by COVID-19 pandemic,” Oghenesivbe said.