Rumpus has continued to unsettle the Delta State Government over the alleged, “political” influence the selection of 5, 400 widows in the state, current beneficiaries of the State Governor’s trust funds for widows across the three senatorial districts.
While tongues have continued to wag that the selection was apolitical, it was gathered that each of the widows gets monthly stipends of N5, 000 with free medical treatment whenever any of them takes ill.
A party chieftain who did not want his name in the print, said: “It is purely political, the widows were selected with high level of interest, and it does not represents the interest of everybody in the state.”
Meanwhile, as part of his electioneering campaigns, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa had promised to set up a trust fund for the widows in the state irrespective of their political affiliations. Since the programme started, there have been serial controversies over what was described as ignoble selection across the three senatorial districts in the state.
But the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) Barr. Festus Ovie Agas at a media conference on Monday in Asaba, told journalists that though the selection was strictly within the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) members, there was no biased selection.
He said, “Widows deserve the assistance to the state government, and the hardworking Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa set up a trust fund for the widows, every month, each of them will get N5, 000 including free medical treatment whenever any of them takes ill”.
Noting that Okowa’s led administration was built on fundamental trust and anchor on wealth creation, the SSG disclosed that peace and security initiative of the administration, had tackled the menace of armed robbery, kidnappings, and the Fulani herdsmen, adding that over seventy roads had in the last two years been completed while the Governor had had town meetings in 21 Local Government Areas among the 25 councils.
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