Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State has stated that the State remained committed to sustainable economic growth and would continue to partner with institutions like the University of Ibadan towards engendering economic growth in the State by engaging technocrats and intellectual minds that would proffer ideas towards attaining the aspirations of Deltans.
He stated this while declaring open the 2021 distinguished annual Public Service Lecture organized by the Asaba Chapter of the University of Ibadan Alumni Association (UIAA), with the theme “The Role of Technocrats In Government”
Okowa, who was represented by the Commissioner for Lands and Survey, Barrister Kate Onianwa, anchored the State vision for a stronger and economically virile State on human capital development, quality education and capacity to attend to the plight of the people a human face.
Okowa who is an alumnus of the University of Ibadan commended the Asaba Chapter for organizing such lectures as it was apt especially in these times that the nation was groaning under economic hardship stressing that his administration will remain supportive of every institution that would advance specialized knowledge towards attending to the plight of Government and the people.
The Chairman of the occasion, Prof. Emeritus Emmanuel Nwanze, Chairman of New Universities Management Council in Delta State and former Vice Chancellor of University of Benin, congratulated the Asaba Chapter of UIAA for their consistency in organizing such lectures which had continued to create a leeway towards economic stability in the country.
The Asaba Chapter’s Chairman of UIAA, Dr. (Mrs.) Felicia Adun, FNES JP, a retired Permanent Secretary in the State Civil Service, maintained that the annual Lecture was very important towards propagating robust and articulated ideas that would help in moving the State and country to greater enviable heights.
Dr. Adun disclosed that the lecture which had spanned over three decades had become the focal point for elevated discourses and has remained a main driver of thought, ideas and policy reforms.
Delivering the lecture on the Role of Technocrats In Government, the immediate past Chief of Staff to State Government, Olorogun David Edevbie noted that democracy and technocracy were always in conflict even when it is beneficial to the society.
Olorogun Edevbie maintained that despite the differences between politicians and technocrats the place of technocrats cannot be overemphasized as they play pivotal role in Proffering Solutions to the challenges facing the society even if the methodology were unpopular which had continued to pitch politicians against technocrats.
The lecture was well attended by eminent Nigerians including traditional rulers, rtd. CP Ikechukwu Ayo Aduba, Chief P. A Dunkwu, top Government functionaries, academicians, technocrats and students amongst others.