*Assures He’ll Run All-inclusive govt
*Says he sited Fed Poly in Orogun because the community gave out 100 hectares land free of charge
By Victor Lewis
The Delta State APC Governorship Candidate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege has said that he has nothing personal with the incumbent governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa nor the Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly and PDP Governorship Candidate, Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori but rather, the duo have wasted the State resources running over N4 trillion with nothing to show for it.
Omo-Agege who gave this indication during a Town Hall meeting with members of Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, PFN in Agbarho, today, also assured that he will run an all-inclusive government, just as he promised he will consult and carry the church along.
While saying that he has no personal issues with Gov. Okowa and Sheriff Oborevwori, he however noted that going by the volume of money that has accrued to the State in the past seven and half years, Delta State ought to be one of the richest in the country, pointing out that the wasteful government of Okowa, assisted by Oborevwori, has plunged the State into one of the poorest amongst comity of States.
Omo-Agege further lamented that Delta State is the second most Indebted in the country, having borrowed over N400 billion, making every Deltan both living and yet unborn to be potential debtor.
According to him, it is not a crime to take loans as a government, but such loans must be tied to projects and such projects must be seen to have been executed and completed for the benefits and welfare of Deltans.
“Now, it is not personal. We are friends. I don’t have anything against Okowa as a person. We were colleagues. We served together as members of State Executive Council. We were co-commissioners. As a person, I like him. Sheriff is a younger brother, a fellow Urhobo man. I don’t have anything against him. But we are talking about the governance of this State. We are saying that Okowa has not served us well, and that Okowa and Sheriff in their governance, have not served this State well. It is nothing personal.
“From our validated record, Delta State has received N3.5 trillion. This has come to us by way of FAAC, allocation coming to us by way of 13% derivation, as an oil-producing state. And, of course, outside of this, we also have unrecorded IGR, internally-generated revenue.
“On top of this, the government of Okowa and Sheriff Oborevwori, has taken loan to the tune of N400 billion. Before I even proceed further, let me just say this, it is not a crime to take loans. Governments across the world take loans. United States is supposed to be one of the most powerful and richest country in the world. But they are also very heavily indebted. The difference between those countries taking loans and Delta State here is that those loans are tied to infrastructural development.
“Here in Delta State, all we hear is loan upon loans being taken every day by the Governor and Sheriff. But these loans are not tied to any specific projects and we don’t see such projects. From our own investigation, there are no projects at all.
“In addition to that only recently, the governor of Rivers State, Nyesome Wike, who told the hold world that President Muhammadu Buhari, in addition to giving them N10 billion budget support (bailout), only recently approved the payment of N260 billion as payment for shortfall from the 13% derivation from 1999 to date. By the time you add all these including the N400 billion loan, we will be talking about N4.3 trillion. Now, if you look throughout Delta State today, is there anything on ground commensurate to the N4.2 trillion? The answer is No.
“Delta is not a poor state. We are supposed to be the richest State in the Niger Delta. We receive more than Rivers and Akwa Ibom State but if you go to those States, you will see the evidence. Like I said, it is not about politics. Those states are controlled by PDP but I envy the governors of those states. I would rather have Wike governing my state; I would rather have Emmanuel Udom governing my state, than Okowa and Sheriff.
“Today, as a Senator representing Delta Central, I can write my own history. I’ve served well as a Senator. Today, there is no community in Urhobo land that has not felt my impact as a Senator”, Senator Omo-Agege said.
While fielding questions during interactive session, Senator Omo-Agege assured that when voted to become governor, he will create enabling environment for private investors to invest in the State and create jobs for the teeming unemployed youths.
“Our policy is to create an enabling environment for the private sector to generate jobs for our children, not government. There is a limit the government can go and do to provide jobs.
“As a matter of policy, we are going back to the drawing board. We have companies that were here before. They have moved to Lagos, they have moved to Port Harcourt. They have reasons why they moved away. If Okowa does not appreciate those reasons, I do. As a matter of policy, we shall address those reasons, and one of them is security. As a matter of policy, I will invest money and review the security architecture”, he assured.
On empowerment of women, he assured that he will embark on skill acquisition and thereafter, commit the banks operating in the State to give soft loans to trained women and youths, adding that the loans will be guaranteed by the government.
Omo-Agege also promised that as a matter of policy, he will engage reputable contractors to execute projects in the State, adding that he will also ensure that the contactors abide by the local content policy to engage qualified Deltans before consideration is given to people outside the State
On the suggestion that unemployed youths in the riverine who are engaged in artisanal refining of crude oil, Omo-Agege distanced himself from that, adding that its environmental impact is huge, and would rather encourage private individuals to obtain licenses for the establishment of modular refineries.
On why he sited the Federal Polytechnic in Orogun, the Governorship candidate stated that one of the reasons is because the community gave out 100 hectares of land to the federal government free of charge, adding that it demonstrated the Commitment of the donor community.
He also promised that when voted in as governor, his government will not only pay regularly the gratuities and pensions of pensioners, but will ensure he clears the backlog which Okowa refused to pay.
Finally, Omo-Agege called on the church to convince their members to vote for him, adding that “I will run an all-inclusive government and regularly consult church leaders in taking decisions. You will have your friend in the Government House.”
The Christian group prayed for the success of the governorship candidate.
Present at the occasion were the executives of PFN Delta State chapter, Bishop Kingsley Enakirerhi, Archbishop God-dowell Avwomakpa, among several men of God.
In the campaign train of Senator Omo-Agege are the State chairman of the party, Elder Omeni Sobotie,. Director-General of the campaign Organization, Elder Godsday Orubebe, APC Chairman for Delta Central, Chief P.D.O Akpeki, Dr. Veronica Ogbuagu, amongst others.
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