Andrew Warri
By Oye Chijioke
In line with the efforts to choose who governs Delta state, Andrew Warri spoke to Ndokwa Reporters Oye Chijioke at Asaba on his plans to improve the plans present administration has done and yet to be done come 2015, and to launch himself into the guber race to better the lives of Deltans.
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Sir, we observed that you are coming out to serve Deltans as governor come 2015,what have you done so far?
Well i have done a lot, i have done far and wide consultations, i have seen virtually all the stakeholders in the state, and i have representatives in all the local governments and in their wards and the next stage of my campaign is to go to all the local governments and liaise with the delegates, and my style is of simplicity, trying to get the 1000 delegates to my side is paramount to me, as a young man, i have ideas that i pioneered in NDDC, though i have not been in government but I have affected the lives of over 3000 Deltans, i donated medical equipment worth over 3billion naira across Niger delta, without being in government, so if I have a wider platform I will do more than that.
Sir, can you tell Deltans your programmes?
I cannot at once tell you the programmes i have for Deltans but i can give you the summary, first of all as a state i will take education as a priority, there will be free education in the primary, and secondary level, the university levy will be drastically reduced to enable less privileged citizens go to school, the private will collaborate with my administration to reduce the cost of education they offer, there will be large supply of educational equipment’s used in teaching and learning including man power will be enhanced, in area of employment, we will go to local governments to get the problems of the people, we will provide uninterrupted power supply by inviting independent power plant to partner with state government to foster employment, then create good roads, to construct industries and encourage indigenous company, provide basic amenities like water, then provide good security network, employment will come, government cannot employ everybody, we will provide good enabling environment. like the Asaba textile mill have been dead, we will bring it back to operations so as to employ over 2000 workers, there are private firms that are ready to partner with state government, the PPP is the best policy because you can see who to hold on account of gross misconduct, i will be able to create industrial zones in the state in each senatorial zone, we can call manufacturers of cars to come and manufacture cars in Delta state, once there is constant electricity secured environment, foreign investors will come in, build shopping malls, you will see that youths will be employed, once you graduate you get job, every university in Delta State that produce the best idea or project will be enhanced. In agriculture, my government will provide farms in every local government producing the best their land can offer, we will acquire land and get privates into it, then we will stimulate the state economy and generate employment, we can invite Nokia to come and build producing plant in our state. We will create food; we will have a central store, in every local government where citizens can buy our products at an affordable prizes.
Delta north is glamouring for zoning,are you in support of that?
Well zoning is not in existence in Delta state, i remember vividly that those that are glamouring for zoning contested election with the present governor, not once not twice, so is it politics of convenience? What is the basis of the zoning? when the other people where contesting you ran election with them, then this time you want others to stay behind, it does not make any sense, there is no adequate zoning method in Delta state, it cannot work, let assume we want to start zoning, those fighting for it will capitalized on senatorial district, it will also encourage tribal politics which is dangerous in a multi tribal Delta state, if you are talking about equity, who told you that local government and senatorial districts are bases for zoning? Delta north has not governed agreed but the Ijaws has never in history of the state handle any strategic position except six months speaker of the House of Assembly, so between the Ijaw tribe and Ibo tribe who should the power zone to.?
Lets access the present administration, what do you think the governor have not done that you will do for Deltans?
This government cannot solve all the problems, because it is enormous, no government can solve all the problems, but what I know is that whatever this government have done there is room for improvement, in all sectors, he has done well but there is room for improvement.
What is your advice for Deltans?
Well my advice will first go to the youths because I represent the youths, now we have been excluded in the politics of the state, so am calling for a change, a change that will involve the youth, a change with morally and expediently the role of politicians that have served us with bitterness and anger, a change that will forget yesterday and remember today, am asking for a change where the youth of the state can have a say in the progress of the state, now how can we achieve that. The youths should never allow themselves to be used by anybody, I am asking the youths to shun anything capable of degrading their persons in the society because there is a youth governor they can vote for, when politicians wants thugs, they go and recruit the youths, give them peanuts while they send their children abroad, when trouble comes they will abandon the youths and fly away. I want to tell the youths that we will be part of the decision making of the states not thugs, and to INEC and DISEC, they should provide enabling ground where all of us can play a fair games, not politics of bitterness and acrimony, let us sell our plans, what do you have to offer if we are giving a chance to rule, to government they should not support any candidate, they should allow candidates to test their popularity and provide free and fair election.
