DELTA 2015: ANIOMA SONS AND DAUGTHERS ENDORSE DR. NGOZI JULIET OLEJEME AND THREE OTHERS

By Eberechi Kennedy

The Anioma people of Delta State have endorsed the candidature of Dr. Ngozi Juliet Olejeme and 3 others for the Governorship position of the state come 2015. This endorsement was made recently in Abuja during the visit of a high-level delegation of ‎Anioma sons and daughters led by the Asagba of Asaba, Professor Chike Edozien to President Jonathan.

The meeting which held at the State House, Abuja was to express the support of the Anioma people to the second term bid of President Goodluck Jonathan. Also the meeting provided a veritable platform for the delegation to seek the support of Mr. President towards getting an Anioma person as the next governor of the State.

Briefing state house correspondents after the closed door meeting, Prof. Chike Edozien confirmed that the agitation for an Anioma person to be elected governor of Delta State is very timely and was very crucial in their discussion with the President. “The issue of an Anioma person becoming the governor was one of the issues we discussed and I hope an Anioma son or daughter will be elected governor of Delta State in 2015”, he said.

Sources close to the Presidency however, informed that the delegation of the Anioma People presented four people as potential governorship candidates. Top on the list is Dr. Ngozi Juliet Olejeme, who is on record as the only woman serving as Chairman of the board of two sensitive Federal Government establishments. Others are Honourable Ndudi Elumelu, Senator Okowa and Victor Ochei.

Dr. Ngozi Juliet Olejeme seems to be riding on the crest of the desire of the people for real change come 2015.She is a successful entrepreneur, an astute Politician and Administrator of repute. A boardroom guru with a wealth of experience, she has a proven record of success in administrative governance and business management. Olejeme has received several recognitions in Nigeria and abroad for her impact in the society but the reward for her excelling contributions for a better society is not just in the plagues that dote around the wall, but it is in seeing the less privileged cared for, seeing equity in wealth distribution. Supporting women build back their economic and social life are some of the projects that fires up her passion. No wonder as governorship candidate in Delta State in 2007 her campaign was configured on ending poverty and improving quality of life for all in the oil rich state.

Her Foundation; 'Ngozi Olejeme Foundation', underscores her passion for social security. It caters for the widows, it empowers women and the under privileged. Also her role in the Country's Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Program, SURE-P; a program derived from the partial removal of subsidy for fuel, speaks of her capacity to care for the poor through adopting poverty alleviating policies.

Beyond humanitarian services, Dr. Olejeme has invariably proven to be a great asset in public service both at the state and at the federal levels. In 2009, Olejeme was appointed for a four year term as board chairman of Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF). For her transformational leadership at NSITF, she got reappointed for another term of a four year in 2011. She is also chair of Pension Trust PLC, a subsidiary of NSITF, which strictly administers pension matters. She was instrumental to the enhanced services of the NSITF, where she fought for and won the acceptance of Employee Compensation Scheme (ECS) and the passage of the bill into Act. The scheme protects all categories of workers both in private and public sector across Nigeria. The scheme simply makes provision for compensation to employees and their dependents for any injury, disease, disability or death arising in the course of employment.

On the other hand, the incumbent governor; Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan has his tent pitched towards the candidature of Mr. Anthony Obu and Charles Emetulu


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