The governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), in Delta State, Olorogun Barr. Kenneth Gbagi, OON, has come hard on the Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa-led administration for plugging the state into indebtedness without corresponding industries to repay the borrowed money.
Gbagi, an entrepreneurial expert and an economist, warned the state government which many Deltans have nickname “Borrowing master”, to stop borrowing, as the debt profile of the state has currently skyrocketed to N378, 878, 236, 830. 76 billion with Deltans expressing fear that before the end of Okowa administration, he might borrow more money.
Gbagi, the largest private investor in the state, made the call on Friday November 18th 2022, when he addressed Igbudu market Union leaders and traders in Warri south local government area of the state.
The industrialist has accused Okowa of squandering over N2.8 trillion since the inception of his administration in 2015 till date.
Hear him: “As at today, this government with all the wealth God gave to us in Delta State, has borrowed N387 billion. They will still borrow more, you people should pray so that they don’t borrow again because the money they are borrowing is on the heads of your children, grandchildren and children yet unborn.
“I use this medium to plead with Okowa, not to borrow any money again because we cannot afford to pay the money, there are no industries.
“All what you are selling now are manufactured in other countries and states. All our industries have been killed.
“There is enough money in our state, we will use the money to develop the State.
“We will use the monies to give employment to our children, build market. The time has come that our markets will look like those in Dubai.
“When I takeover, I will build companies and factories. I will remove all our children from the street. From day one, I will pay them N30, 000 each.
“Because the state has made our parents poorer, I will declare free education in Delta State.
“Let Igbudu market wear a proper look and let it become an example of market in the world.
“I will partnership with you people and I will make sure I change the narrative. I will solve the security problem of Delta State.
“This is not the time to joke, our children have graduated from school, they don’t have work.
“They are into Okada riding, yahoo business not because they want to do it, it is because they don’t have work.
“It is because of the failed government that pushed them into doing yahoo business. It has not been this terrible before in Delta State.
“My government will emancipate these Yahoo boys and give them jobs, employment and meaningful engagement that will make them great people”, he declared.
Also speaking, the Deputy governorship candidate of the party, Chief Mrs. Oshilim Ishioma, called on the market women to stand firm with SDP for the development of the state.
She said the Gbagi-Rosemary governorship ticket would end poverty in the state, bring unprecedented development with proper database to engage the youths in all the 25 local government areas of the state.
The President-General of Igbudu market Union and traders, Comrade Oghenerume Kugbere, in his response expressed satisfaction with the SDP campaign team and urged traders to give their support to the SDP gubernatorial candidate.
“We are privilege to sit with the governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party. For him to be in our midst, it is a great joy for Igbudu market traders.
“It means that as it is today, if we stand behind him and give him our support with this large population, I know that the sky will be the limit of SDP.
“I want every trader, as you people stood by me as your President General, I want you to equally stand with the man who we believed in, who we can talk to and who will stand with us at any point in time. So, let all of us stand and give him the support”, he concluded.
