ASABA/Nigeria: The Deputy Senate President and the Governorship candidate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege of the All Progressive Congress, APC in the 2023 Delta Governorship Election, had said that his EDGE Agenda policy is the key to the future of Delta, as it holds the hope and aspiration for the economic stability of the state.
Senate Omo-Agege stated this when he unveiled his programme before Deltans on Thursday, November 17, in Asaba.
The Deputy Senate President, while condemning the government of the ruling party, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state, and the Governor, also lampooned the Governorship Candidate of the Party, calling him incompetent.
“The EDGE agenda sums up our people’s hopes and aspirations for economic stability, sustainable employment, security, access to modern public infrastructure, solid institutions, and a clean environment. It is strategically organized to make ours a model state and a leading centre of excellence. With EDGE, we bring credibility, efficiency, and trust back to governance. It is the ultimate paradigm shift to reform our public service, cut the cost of governance, eliminate waste, and deny corruption and other crimes comfort and safety in our governance architecture. EDGE agenda is our firm promise and its success is non-negotiable.”
He stated that he was presenting himself to Deltans as the candidate of the party, and also the bearer of the hopes and aspirations of everyone in the state.
“Today, I am formally presenting myself to you as the Governorship candidate of the APC and also the bearer of the hopes and aspirations of all Deltans. We will also be sharing with you our policy document that will form our plan to band together to build a vibrant, equitable, and prosperous Delta State, based on core moral values of service, hard work, and shared sacrifice, where everyone has the opportunity to achieve his or her full potential.”
While giving his background, and the experience he had gathered over the years, said he had worked assiduously with experts to come up with realistic policies and plans, which when implemented will get the state going in the right direction.
“I have worked with one of the best team of experts to come up with realistic policies and plans, which when implemented will get Delta State going in the right direction again. I believe in setting goals and coming up with realistic plans and policies to achieve those goals. Our manifesto is therefore a product of profound thought based on my practical experience both in the Executive and Legislative arms of government.”
“The manifesto is our Vision and Mission; It captures our EDGE Agenda which breaks down as E for Employment and Empowerment; D for Development (Economic, Infrastructural and Industrial); G for Good Governance, and E for Enduring Peace and Security.”
“Our vision for a New Delta is driven by the desire to arrest receding hope among Deltans and build a State where the people’s future is brighter than their past. We are aware that our people are seriously worried about the unemployment indices, which are heading skywards as evidenced by the high percentage of our youths roaming the streets for jobs that do not exist, but certainly can be created if we have a government that fosters the right synergy with the private sector to boost employment.”
“I will address our scary unemployment rate by giving priority to public investment in agriculture and tech-driven entrepreneurship. My plan as stated in our manifesto will change the commercial ecosystem of the State and create an investment-friendly charter that makes access to funds and infrastructure a natural way of life. Human capital development, agriculture, tourism, infrastructure, housing, and other labor-intensive interventions will be at the core of our agenda.”
“We shall establish a Delta State Employment, Entrepreneurship, and Empowerment Programme (DEEP), and facilitate the establishment of cluster industries in each of the twenty-five Local Government Areas of our State. We will deliberately create an enabling environment for industries and manufacturing; establish tech hubs, set up small business loan guarantee schemes, promote skills acquisition, and set up a Career Development Centre for Deltans.”
“As part of our plans to promote ease of doing business, we will undertake institutional and process reviews, remove red tape and bureaucratic bottlenecks, improve infrastructure, and re-engineer our peace and security strategies while establishing a one-stop repository of business knowledge and information. We will guarantee the rights of women and invest their unique energy to drive social and economic development in the state. We will initiate a youth development program that moves them away from the hopelessness of today, connect them to creative endeavours, and generate energy for honourable work.”
“We will make aggressive investments in modern infrastructure capable of opening up the total economic energies of our people, we will lift the State out of a mono-economic dependency by launching diversification into tech and business incubation. We are deeply committed to the cause of changing the current development path of our State. However, we cannot do it without the support and cooperation of our people. Democracy and development thrive on a watchful and active citizenry who should hold us accountable every step of the way.”
He pointed out that the present government in the state had wasted resources in many ways, and he is trying to institute a stooge to continue the pillage of the commonwealth of the state.
“Never in history have we faced such difficult times in our state. Beyond politics and political party affiliation, we all know that with the enormous resources and competence of Deltans all over the world, our state is not where it ought to be.”
“Under the PDP, and especially in the last seven years, the problems of Delta State have been squarely rooted in bad leadership, misplaced priorities, pervasive incompetence, and even corruption.”
“The offer of PDP in the 2023 gubernatorial elections in the person of Rt. Hon. Sheriff Francis Oborevwori is a bad one for Delta State because it exemplifies incompetence, bad judgment, and everything that went wrong in the past seven years.”
He says Delta deserves better.
“Delta State deserves better. We must reject leaders who will not be independent of Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa and the cabal that brought us to this sorry pass.”
“For Deltans to get out of these problems and return to a path of economic prosperity, there must be change that offers progress beyond mere promises. With my record of public service, my candidacy represents and offers that change.” He said.
