ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State has said Igbos are great partners to States and the Federal Government in economic growth.
The Vice-Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), made the assertion on Sunday at the 2022 Cultural Day of Ndigbo Cultural Forum, in Asaba, the state capital.
Okowa lauded the contributions of Ndigbo in the development of commerce in Delta and Nigeria, saying they were significant. He affirmed that Igbos were renowned for resourcefulness.
He also commended Ndigbo in Delta for their peaceful disposition and for embarking on worthy courses for the growth and development of their host communities.
The Governor said: “Asaba is home to all. We are ready to welcome all and we will continue to accommodate all. When we see law abiding citizens going about their businesses and helping to develop Asaba, we are happy.
“So, I am glad that members of this association are people doing their legitimate business and are law abiding.
“I am very much aware that a lot of our brothers particularly from Onitsha, own their homes here and go to do business in onitsha; we are happy about that.
“We accommodate all, even to the extent that our free maternal health care and our free treatment of children under five years of age, covers a lot of our brothers who are from across the Niger but resides here in Asaba.”
Governor Okowa said the state had continued to receive God’s help in ensuring that Asaba and the whole of Delta remained peaceful and secured.
“You can only achieve this when you work with the people and we will continue to work with all who live in Asaba and the whole of Delta state.
“I promise you that we will continue to work with everyone to ensure peace for the remaining part of this administration and hope that the next government which I believe would also be formed by the PDP in Delta State would continue to do too.
“The Igbos matter alot in this state because I know that they hold a lot of businesses in this state and those businesses help to improve our commerce.
“I also know that we have a lot of industries here in Asaba owned by the Igbos and those businesses are generating a lot of employments in and around Asaba and we are happy to have many more of those businesses and industries come to our place,” he stated.
On his part, the Chairman of the occasion, Igwe Sir Benneth Izuchukwu Emeka, Okebo II of Umueri, commended Governor Okowa for his remarkable contributions to the development of Delta.
Emeka further assured Okowa of the support of Ndigbo towards his presidential aspiration.
Earlier in his remarks, the Chairman of the Forum, Chief Chinedu Obodo, expressed appreciation to the people of Asaba for their hospitality over the years.
He said that the Forum which started in March 2014 had grown to become a roll call of prominent business and professional leaders from across the Niger, resident in Asaba, the Delta State capital.
Obodo noted that the Forum members were law abiding citizens and engaged in different legitimate businesses which had impacted positively on the socio-economic strata of Asaba.
He said the 2022 Cultural Festival was conceived to bring together Igbo political, business, professional, religious and cultural leaders to celebrate the rich, diverse Igbo culture and heritage.