Kenneth Gbagi, Delta State guber candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the oncoming governorship election, has bemoaned the underdevelopent of the country in general and Delta State in particular, saying “we are where we are today because we’ve neglected industrialization’.
Gbagi, a renowned industrialist and an erstwhile minister of state for education under former president Goodluck Jonathan said he would declare state of emergency on all the sectors of Delta State including industry and education.
He said he would industrialize the state by revitalizing the moribund industries and establishing new ones that would engage in production to provide meaningful jobs for the teaming unemployed citizens of the state.
He spoke in Asaba recently while addressing journalists at the platform presented by the Delta State council of the Nigeria Union of Journalusts (NUJ)
Gbagi said this notwithstanding that the incumbent administration in the state led by Ifeanyi Okowa has since 2015 trained and established thousands of Deltans in various skills under various entreprenuership programmes.
While Okowa”s administration which would elapse May 29 this year believes in building a generation of enterpreneurs who are chief executive officers of their own enterprises and businesses, Gbagi believes in building industries that would produce products and through the industries jobs would be available for the people of the state.
Charles Aniagwu, the state commissioner for information would always defend the job creation programmes initiated by Okowa, saying the beneficiaries would prefer running their own companies rather than working to be paid salaries.
Said Gbagi, “The. solution lies in industrialization and emancipating the people of the state” as he canvassed for votes of the Delta electorates.
Read also: INEC prioritises distribution of election materials to far-flung LGs of Delta
The Asaba Texile Mill has remained moribund for years whereas it is not a difficult thing to revive the place and ensure all forms of textile materials are produced there, he asserted
He stressed that unless the state returns to industrialization, it may be heading for a doom. .
“I will revive Asaba Textile Mill. Through chemical reactions I will produce textiles with thousands of employment being generated from it.
While kicking against lack of accountability and borrowing loans by Okowa”s administration, Gbagi promised to defray the debt profile of the state within 18 months when elected as governor.
Gbagi mentioned that he would drive the payment of the loans through industrialization and financial discipline.
He promised a robust investment in Education so as to produce graduate who can compete with internationally.
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