The Delta state Governor His Excellency Senator Dr Arthur Ifeanyi Okowa, The managing director/CEO of DESOPADEC Olorogun Williams Makinde, Professor Austin Asagba former VC of Western Delta University and the Associate Representatives of The Government and People of Antigua and Barbuda Mrs Michelle Charles and Ray Huggins shortly after their meeting with the Governor in State house .
Asaba: Delta State Governor, Senator (Dr) Arthur Ifeanyi Okowa, has assured investors of high returns on investment if they tap into the rich business, cultural and tourism opportunities that abound in the state.
The governor gave this assurance on Friday, 19 May 2017 during a meeting between the Associate Representative of the Government and the people of Antigua and Barbuda at the Government House Asaba, and the management of the Delta State Oil Producing Area Development Commission, (DESOPADEC).
The governor disclosed that his administration’s vision is to make Delta State the pacesetter in the country by building an enduring legacy of wealth and prosperity for all through public policy imperatives geared at maximising comparative advantages of the state, developing the non-oil sector of the economy, creating jobs, and accelerating infrastructural development.
“Delta State has an economy size of $24.6billion based on Gross Domestic Product (GDP) rebase of 2013, making us the fourth largest economy in Nigeria with multiple urban centres, numbering as many as twelve,” he said, adding, “Average poverty rate based on head count is 56 per cent, lower than the national average of 62 per cent; the per capita income is calculated at about N302 or less than USD2.00 per day while unemployment/underemployment rate stood at 27.2 per cent in 2014 according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS),” Okowa said.
“In a bid to address the challenges posed by the drop in statutory allocation, the state government developed the Delta State Medium Term Development Plan (DSMTDP) (2016-2019), a policy document that provides the road map to: Drive rapid infrastructural development; ensure and sustain inclusive economic growth and sustainable development; reduce the worrisome high level of youth unemployment, pervasive poverty; and woo the private sector and the international community to explore and exploit the economic ,business, Culture and Tourism opportunities in Delta State, he said.
The governor said as the state moves to reduce its dependence on crude oil, his administration would strengthen the enabling environment for investments to thrive in the agriculture, Culture and Tourism, manufacturing and other sectors.
Earlier in their presentation, the Associate Representatives of the Government and the People of Antigua and Barbuda, Mrs Ray Huggins and Mrs Michelle Charles, commended the State Governor for his developmental strides in road Construction, Education, Entrepreneurship programs in reducing the rate of unemployment in the state
They praised the state for the support to Agriculture development in the state, and the Funding of Delta State oil producing areas development commission (DESOPADEC) inspite of the free fall of Crude oil prices in the international market which has affected Nigeria oil Revenue.
They informed the Governor that the purpose of their visit to the state was to Interface with the Delta state government and DESOPADEC in the development of Culture and Eco Tourism, Manufacturing, Agriculture, in the oil producing areas of the state.
Antigua and Barbuda is an independent Commonwealth country with other several smaller ones positioned where the Atlantic and Caribbean meet, it’s known for reef-lined beaches, rainforests and resorts. Its English Harbour is a yachting hub and the site of historic Nelson’s Dockyard.
In the meeting with the state governor are, the Managing Director/CEO of Delta state Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) Olorogun Williams Makinde, The Executive Director Finance and Administration DESOPADEC Bashorun Askia Ogieh JP, and Professor Austin .O. Asagba of the Deptartment of Theater Arts and Mass Communication University of Benin.
