Re: BEING A COMMENTARY ON THE CELEBRATION OF ONE YEAR IN OFFICE OF COMRADE O. O.DANIEL AS THE COORDINATOR OF IVO DEVELOPMENT CENTRE
By: Comrade Iteshi Iteshi Freedoms
The essence of creating Development Centre which is to step down the programs, policies and vision of His Excellency, Engr. Chief David Nweze Umahi appears to have been accomplished in Ivo DC through the life, personality, operational modalities and innovative leadership ingenuity of Comrade Barrister Okorie Onyekachi Daniel popularly known as Com O.O. Daniels.
Comrade, who from school days had held several leadership positions including serving as the SUG President of Ebonyi State University, Chairman Forum of SUG Presidents, South East, Chairman Golden Jubilee Celebration Committee, Nigerian Law School and distinguishing himself in all, first served in circular politics as a Technical Assistant (T.A.) to Ebonyi State Governor on Students Affairs. Having served meritoriously in that capacity, the governor who believes that the reward for good work is more work, appointed him again as the Coordinator, Ivo Development Centre. He subsequently assumed office on the 7th day of August, 2019.
Barely one year in office, Comrade O. O. Daniels as always, has carved a niche for himself leaving unprecedented footprints in the sand of history of Ivo DC. Being a visionary leader, and an ardent follower of His Excellency, Engr. Chief David Nweze Umahi, upon assumption of office rolled out his administration’s agenda anchored on keys seven areas of Security, Education, Agriculture, Infrastructure, Mentorship, Empowerment and Advocacy in line with the objectives, directives and visions of His Excellency, Engr. Chief David Nweze Umahi. Motivated by unquenchable leadership passion and the joy of serving under the unique leadership of the current administration, the coordinator has been religiously following these key areas achieving unparalleled feats there and even surpassing them by extending his tentacles beyond.
In specific terms, Comrade O. O. Daniels, within one year in office has significantly pursued this vision with every vigor in him. As a milestone in security, in line with His Excellency the governor’s determination to ensure genuine peace in the state, Comrade Daniel swung into tackling the precarious issue of farmers-herders clashes in the DC. With his ingenuity, he constituted the Chief Paulinus Osita led Peace Committee which has a 50/50 arrangement of members drawn from both farmers and herdsmen. Expectedly, the arrangement has guaranteed utmost peace in the area; peace which drives sustainable development.
Education which is the bedrock of societal advancement also enjoys a pride of place in the O.O. Daniels-led administration. Tallying with this vision, during the State government’s enrollment of out of school children, the Comrade-Coordinator quickly constituted a 15-man ad-hoc committee for advocacy and compliance to ensure that every child of school age who was out of school was captured in the program.
Though a consummate political leader at his level, Comrade operates like an educationist who believes in the education theory of Operant Conditioning which anchors on the principles of reward system. To encourage and promote education he had hitherto established his annual award of fifty Thousand Naira (#50,000.00) Prize for the best graduating student the Federal College of Agriculture Ishiagu, an institution of which his development Center is the host community.
Realizing the need to assist Ivo DC students in the tertiary institutions, Comrade O. O. Daniels has constituted a bursary committee chaired by Comr. Emmanuel to work out modalities for payment and to equally to capture 100 SSCE candidates whom the DC would sponsor their WAEC purchase fee.
In keeping with his boss the governor’s second address mantra, the Coordinator has been passionate about pursuing agriculture in all its facets. He contracted Agro Experts and Extension Officers for the service of the DC’s Agric Department and charged them to ensure judicious Utilization of all empty agricultural lands of the DC. The aggressive embarking on the plantain/palm plantation, rice and cassava farms project of the DC would soon start to yield harvest. The planting of over 400 African Bush Mango Ogbono and Achi trees across the DC agro and arid lands is a complete demonstration of his environmental care and green economy drive.
In the area of infrastructure, the imperative of his people’s welfare propelled the coordinator to procure generating sets of very high capacity to replace the dilapidated ones at the ITDU Water scheme which he has rehabilitated and it’s optimally reticulating water to the people of the DC in particular and the entire Ishiagu in general. Similarly, in keeping with His Excellency’s directive that all Coordinators live and work at their DC, comrade O. O. Daniel upon assumption of office renovated the hitherto dilapidated Coordinator’s lodge as well as the staff quarters making them. In the midst of the merger resources, Comrade O. O. Daniels has concluded plans to construct one bedroom flat apartments for selected widows across the 4 wards in Ivo DC.
To promote sports which is a critical sector both in global economy and infrastructure Comrade Dan has built an ultra modern football pitch at the Development Centre.
In the area of empowerment and manpower development, Comrade Daniels applied the mentorship approach to achieve tremendous success. He has severally organized the training and retraining of the DC staff members to enhance their skills and competence. Taking a cue from what the governor is doing at the state, the Coordinator equally appointed TAs, EAs and PAs who are working with him to drive home his vision for the people of Ivo DC. The upcoming lunch of vocational skill empowerment hub of the DC would be the first of its kind in the local governance structure of the state.
Using his advocacy technique which ultimately yields more results, the comrade coordinator has been able to successfully engage the mining companies within his environs to brace up to their cooperate social responsibilities. Similarly, he has secured the state government’s endorsement of a bid to instruct all mining companies within his environs to see to the construction of several Kilometer roads leading to their mines. When this will be actualized, the results would be unimaginable.
While the outbreak of COVID 19 got many people trembling and confused, it provided an opportunity for comrade O.O. Daniels to further prove his mettle in area of leadership. Following the governor’s instruction and in line with the NCDC protocols, he first massively procured hand sanitizers, nose masks and hand washing facilities which were aggressively distributed to all citizens of the DC. These are in addition to food material which he distributed to the vulnerable. Ivo DC being in a border town, Comrade Dan, like his mentor Gov Umahi didn’t sleep but kept vigilance at the border area to ensure strict compliance with the state directive. This severally attracted commendations from the radio situation room.
Proud of his monumental achievements as their member, the Ebonyi Senior Comrades Forum last week conferred on him an award of excellence in brotherhood solidarity and excellence in governance.
In comrade O.O. Daniels, we see the advantage of deploying youthful zeal into public service for the glory of God and uplift of mankind.
