Former Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly and Delta North senatorial aspirant, Rt. Hon. Victor Onyekachi Ochei, has unveiled a community-driven development plan focused on agriculture, infrastructure, youth empowerment, industrialisation and accountable representation in the senatorial district.
Ochei presented the plan on Saturday, September 26, 2026, during an extensive engagement with Presidents-General of communities across Aniocha and Oshimili, where he described the community leaders as custodians of their people and a critical link between communities and political officeholders.
He urged the Presidents-General to speak openly about the challenges facing their communities and demand accountability from those elected to represent them.
According to Ochei, effective representation must begin with listening to the people, understanding the peculiar needs of individual communities and pursuing solutions capable of producing measurable results.
He proposed a comprehensive needs assessment and development mapping of communities across Delta North to identify local priorities, agricultural potential, infrastructure deficits and mineral resources.
He said the exercise would involve Presidents-General, farmers, youths, women, professionals and other stakeholders in determining the most pressing needs of their communities.
Ochei also advocated responsible exploitation of available mineral resources, stressing that host communities should be protected and positioned to benefit from resources found in their areas.
Focus on agriculture and agro-industrialisation
A major component of Ochei’s proposal is the establishment of organised agricultural farm clusters across Delta North.
He said farmers producing similar crops would be organised into cooperatives and supported with suitable land, improved seedlings, mechanised equipment, irrigation, affordable financing, technical expertise and extension services.
According to him, the clusters would be developed based on the agricultural strengths of different communities, with emphasis on cassava, rice, oil palm, vegetables, livestock and fishery.
He said the initiative would help reduce production costs, increase output and make it easier for government agencies, investors and development partners to support farmers with clearly defined targets.
The proposed farm clusters, he added, would be linked to agro-industrial clusters for processing, packaging, storage, transportation and marketing.
Using cassava as an example, Ochei said Delta North should move beyond the production of garri to exploiting other commercial opportunities offered by the crop, including industrial starch, flour, animal feed and sweeteners.
He said greater investment in processing would enable farmers and host communities to participate in more profitable stages of the agricultural value chain rather than merely selling raw produce.
Ochei proposes waste-to-wealth programme
Ochei also outlined a waste-to-wealth programme aimed at turning agricultural waste into economic opportunities.
He said cassava peels could be processed into animal feed, while crop residues could be used for composting and renewable-energy projects.
He also identified opportunities to process rejected fruits into juice and concentrates.
According to him, the initiative would reduce environmental waste while creating additional income streams and businesses for young people.
He stressed that processing facilities should not become the preserve of political associates, but should be structured to give participating farmers and communities a stake in their ownership and economic benefits.
Electricity, roads critical to development
Ochei identified electricity, rural roads, storage facilities and market access as critical requirements for the success of the proposed agricultural and industrial clusters.
Despite Delta State’s gas resources, he noted that many communities and businesses in Delta North continue to face unreliable electricity supply.
Drawing on his engineering background, he proposed investment in substations, transmission infrastructure and distribution networks to provide electricity to homes, farms, processing centres and businesses.
He said reliable electricity would help reduce production costs, preserve perishable agricultural products and attract private investment, while improved rural roads would facilitate the movement of farm produce to processing centres and markets.
Youth empowerment beyond political patronage
Ochei also criticised empowerment programmes that train young people without providing access to jobs, finance, equipment and markets.
He said genuine empowerment should lead to economic independence rather than dependence on political godfathers.
He identified opportunities for young people across farming, food processing, equipment maintenance, transportation, packaging, storage, marketing, technology and export services.
He also highlighted manufacturing, textiles, sports and the creative economy as areas with potential for youth employment and enterprise development.
Referring to the stadium he personally built in Onicha-Olona, Ochei said functional sports infrastructure could create opportunities not only for athletes but also for traders, transport operators, food vendors and hospitality businesses.
Describing himself as an engineer and lawyer by training, a businessman by profession and a politician by choice, Ochei said public office should be used to create opportunities for citizens rather than serve as a means of personal enrichment.
Calls for accountable representation
Ochei urged the Presidents-General to take his proposals back to their communities, examine his record and assess his candidacy based on his experience, competence and the practicality of his development plans.
He argued that Delta North could not continue with the same approaches while expecting different outcomes, calling instead for practical solutions and community participation in development planning.
His proposed agenda centres on securing farmlands, expanding agricultural production, linking farmers to agro-industrial value chains, converting waste into economic opportunities, improving electricity and infrastructure, creating jobs and strengthening community-based accountability.
Ochei described the agenda as a “Delta North Rescue Mission”, anchored on inclusive development, sustainable youth empowerment, people-centred representation and prosperity for all.
The engagement formed part of Ochei’s campaign ahead of the January 16, 2027 elections, during which he is seeking election to represent Delta North in the Senate.
