The Speaker of the Delta House of Assembly, Dennis Guwor, says people, peace and unity define the state as it marks 35 years.

Mr Guwor said this during an interview on Thursday in Asaba, while commemorating the anniversary and reflecting on the state’s journey since its creation on August 27, 1991.

He said Delta’s greatest achievements went beyond roads, bridges and other infrastructure, emphasising that human capital, peaceful coexistence and unity remained critical to sustaining development.

“When Delta was created, Asaba was not the metropolitan capital that we know today. Over the years, it has expanded tremendously and developed into a major urban centre,” he said.

Mr Guwor, also Chairman, Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures in Nigeria, identified the transformation of Asaba and construction of major infrastructure as defining milestones.

He listed the Bomadi Bridge, airport, major flyovers, expanded road networks, four universities and a world-class secretariat among projects that had shaped the state’s development.

“The Bomadi Bridge represented inclusion. When you connect a community by road, you are connecting that community to economic opportunities, healthcare, education and government services,” Mr Guwor stated.

The speaker also identified education as a major driver of Delta’s development, citing the establishment of state-owned universities and other higher institutions across the state.

“When you establish a university, you are developing human beings who will drive development for decades,” he said, emphasising the importance of investing in people for sustainable progress.

Mr Guwor said Delta’s political culture of rotating leadership among the three senatorial districts also contributed significantly to political stability and peaceful transitions.

“There is an understanding that every senatorial district will have its opportunity to provide leadership. It is more of a political understanding, a gentleman’s arrangement,” he said.

He added that the arrangement enabled successive administrations to transition seamlessly, describing it as a positive development that had strengthened peace and stability in Delta State.

Assessing the administration of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, Mr Guwor said the ‘MORE Agenda’ had taken development to another level, with over 500 road, bridge and flyover projects.

“If you travel around Delta today, you will see projects spread across the three senatorial districts. The intention is to ensure development is not concentrated in one particular area,” he said.

In the legislature, Mr Guwor said the eighth assembly remained stable and productive, passing laws including the Electricity Power Sector Law and disability rights legislation.

He said Delta State must prepare for a future beyond oil by investing in education, healthcare, agriculture, technology, manufacturing, tourism and the creative economy.

“Our gas resources also provide an enormous opportunity. If we have such significant gas reserves, we must find ways of converting that resource into sustainable economic value,” Mr Guwor said.

The speaker also paid a tribute to indigenes of the state who had excelled globally in sports, banking, media, politics, governance and education, describing their achievements as part of the state’s strength.

“We may come from different ethnic groups and senatorial districts, but we are all people of Delta State. Our diversity should be our strength,” Mr Guwor said, urging residents to sustain unity.

He said the Delta of tomorrow must be more prosperous, inclusive, peaceful and developed, stressing that the state’s greatest strength remained its people and their shared commitment.

Delta was created on August 27, 1991, by the administration of  Ibrahim Babangida from the former Bendel, with Asaba subsequently becoming the state capital

(NAN)