Gov. Okowa endorses White Paper on Okpe-Urhobo forest reserve crisis

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, at the first Executive Council meeting of the state government in 2021 endorsed the report of the judicial panel of inquiry into the Okpe-Urhobo forest reserve crisis, noting that the White Paper submitted by the Panel is capable of resolving the inter-communal crisis.

The Commissioner for information, Charles Aniagwu, in a media interaction after the State Executive Council meeting at the Government House, Asaba, disclosed that the Delta State Government Head of Service has been mandated to set up a panel to investigate a retired director in the Ministry of Environment for his alleged encroachment on parts of the forest reserve. The Council, he said, also disbanded the taskforce linked with harassment of land developers under the guise of public property protection.

Aniagwu further said that the Council approved the participation of Warri Wolves in the 2020-2021 Nigeria Professional League (NPL),  the expansion and rehabilitation of the 21-kilometre Orhuwhorun Road in Udu Local Government Area, construction of Aragba-Orogun township roads in Ughelli North Local Government Area     , including the overlay of the old Lagos-Asaba road through Umunede-Ekwoma-Igbodo in Ikah North East Local Government Area.

The Commissioner added that the State Executive Council approved the establishment of the Kwale-Industrial Park with 25% equity for the state government and 75% private partnership operators.