Vanguard Newspapers has voted Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan as its Man of the Year for 2013.
Announcing its decision, Vanguard’s Board of Editors extolled Uduaghan’s “visionary steps in governance,” especially the “Delta Beyond Oil which is encapsulated in the three cardinal philosophy that form the hallmark of his administration – human capital development, infrastructure development and peace and security”.
Vanguard also highlighted the governor’s boost to education infrastructure evidenced in the inauguration of 13 model secondary schools and 54 model primary schools as well as the N5 million per year post-graduate scholarship programme for first class graduates in any institution anywhere in the world, as some of the outstanding bright spots in Nigeria’s quest for quality education.
Vanguard also noted that Uduaghan put his profession as a medical doctor to good use as he instituted the legacy policy on maternal and child care that picks and pays for a baby’s total wellbeing from conception to the age of five.
“This has had profound impact on infant mortality rate in the state which crashed from 545 deaths in 100,000 births at the time he took over as governor in 2007 to 241 deaths in 100,000 births in 2012 which is by far the lowest rate in the country.”
Alongside the micro-credit scheme that has empowered over 100,000 people and the Delta Beyond Oil initiative, Vanguard stated the Uduaghan administration is positioning the state “outside the perimeters of the shock from fluctuating oil revenue.”
“We are glad that despite his philosophy of working quietly without recourse to media frenzy, Governor Uduaghan’s giant strides towards enthroning sustainable development in Delta State is being nationally and globally acknowledged,” the state government said in a statement.
Being earlier recognised as Man of the Year by three Nigerian newspapers; Nigerian Pilot, Leadership and The Sun lays credence to the good works of Governor Uduaghan and is an indication Vanguard made the right choice.
