By Nelson Egware, PhD

As the Delta State APC Campaign Train moves into Udu and Warri South-West Local Government Areas today, attention is expected to focus not only on political mobilisation ahead of the 2027 general elections but also on the development projects executed and initiated by the administration of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori in the two council areas.

For communities in both local governments, the story of the Oborevwori administration is increasingly reflected in road networks, school infrastructure, electricity interventions, market development and other public facilities designed to address longstanding needs.

Under the MORE Agenda, the governor has consistently emphasised inclusive development, with a commitment to ensuring that government projects reach communities beyond major urban centres. The spread of projects across Udu and Warri South-West provides an indication of how that commitment is being pursued.

In Udu, road infrastructure stands out prominently among the interventions. From Otor-Udu to Orhuwhorun, Owhrode, Ekete, Aladja and other communities, several road projects feature in the administration’s development record.

Among them are the Otor-Udu/Erhiephihor/Owhrode/Orhuwhorun Road, rehabilitation of Orhuwhorun Main Road and construction of Ekrovie Road. Other interventions include the rehabilitation of Igbogidi Road, CAC Road, Caro Street, Ogbe-Udu Road and the maintenance of Joseph Atori Street, with connecting spurs to Oyiboraye Close and Edafiogho Drive.

The reconstruction of Opete Road, linking DSC Expressway through Plantation City to Opete Waterside, is another significant intervention. The road is particularly important to residents and businesses in the area because of its potential to improve access to communities and economic activities.

Other projects include Dickey Street, Awharode Street and Lane, Bezi Road, and the Aladja-Ogbe-Ijoh Road, executed in phases in collaboration with Warri South-West. The rehabilitation of the Otu-Jeremi/Udu Road, with a spur to Otor-Udu, is also being undertaken in partnership with Ughelli South.

At the strategic DSC Roundabout, the flyover project represents another major infrastructure intervention with implications for traffic movement and connectivity across the industrial corridor.

At yesterday’s State Executive Council meeting held in Warri, the state government also approved the reconstruction of the Otor-Udu–Owhrode/Orhuwhorun/Mofor Road, including a spur to Erhiephiyor and Usiefrun communities in Udu and Ughelli South Local Government Areas, as well as the rehabilitation of Aladja Road, stretching from Premium Steel Mill, formerly known as DSC, to Aladja Town.

Beyond roads, the administration has also turned attention to education in Udu. The renovation of classroom blocks, examination hall and toilet facilities at Otor-Udu Secondary School, reconstruction of a six-classroom block at Ekete Secondary School and renovation of school buildings in Ekete, Okolor Waterside, Owhrode and Ogbe-Udu are among the projects listed.

The construction of a JAMB ICT Centre at Ogbe-Udu Secondary School is particularly noteworthy, as it will provide students with improved access to computer-based examination facilities. Other interventions include fencing of Ogbe-Udu Secondary School and construction of classroom blocks at Aladja Grammar School.

In the health sector, the renovation of Opete Primary Healthcare Centre is part of efforts to improve primary healthcare delivery.

Electricity infrastructure has also received attention through the replacement of a damaged transformer and renovation of the injection substation at DSC Township Estate, as well as the installation of a 500KVA transformer along Orhuwhorun-Usiefurun Road.

Economic infrastructure is another area of intervention. The construction of the Udu Harbour Market Access Road, alongside internal roads and external works within the market, is expected to strengthen commercial activities and improve the movement of traders, customers and goods.

Similarly, the construction of a 464-metre discharge drain along Aladja-Ogbe-Ijoh Road is designed to address flooding affecting Bezi Road. Judicial and maritime-related infrastructure also feature in the project list, including renovation works at the High Court in Otor-Udu and construction of a concrete landing jetty with an 80-metre foreshore wall.

Warri South-West: Extending development to riverine communities

If Udu illustrates the administration’s investment in road connectivity and urban infrastructure, Warri South-West presents another dimension of the development challenge, particularly the difficulty of delivering infrastructure across riverine and coastal communities.

The Nigerian Maritime University Access Road at Okerenkoko is one of the prominent projects in the area. Its strategic importance goes beyond providing access to the institution; it also supports the movement of students, staff, visitors and economic activities around the university community.

Other road projects include the Okerenkoko Township Roads, Phase V; internal roads and drains in Kurutie, including Phase II; and Benikrukru Township Roads, Phase II.

The administration’s road interventions also extend to the Okerenkoko-Pepeama-Kokodiagbene Road, with a spur to Teiteipor, and the Ogbe-Ijoh-Aladja Road, Phase II, executed jointly with Udu Local Government Area.

Other projects include the Ogbe-Ijoh Palace Road, with spurs to the proposed King’s Jetty and CCMO Farm Road; Obitobon-Elolo-Ajaokurogbo-Orubu Road, Phase II; Ijaghala Internal Roads; Kantu Internal Roads; rehabilitation of Oporoza Township Roads; internal roads in Isaba; Deghele-Bateren Road; and Kokodiagbene Community Road.

Education has equally featured in the development programme, with the provision of an additional lecture hall at the Nigerian Maritime University and the Model Secondary School at Oporoza.

At Soki Zion in Ogbinbiri Community, the construction of a slipway is another intervention aimed at supporting water transportation and the movement of people and goods in the riverine environment.

Beyond campaign rhetoric, the projects across Udu and Warri South-West present a development narrative that cuts across transportation, education, healthcare, electricity and economic infrastructure.

For residents, however, the ultimate measure of these investments will be their practical impact: easier movement, improved access to schools and healthcare, stronger commercial activities and better living conditions.

As the APC Campaign Train engages stakeholders and residents in the two local government areas, the administration will have an opportunity to present its development record and explain how the MORE Agenda is being translated into projects across Delta State.

Ultimately, the enduring value of governance will not be determined by campaign speeches or political endorsements but by the extent to which these projects translate into lasting improvements in the lives of the people.