Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State has said that the state’s Delta Beyond Oil agenda was a deliberate policy aimed at galvanising the economy.
The governor, represented by Dr. Kingsley Emu, the state Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, gave the explanation while declaring open a two-day Anioma Economic Summit 2014 organised by the Oganihu Anioma group on Friday in Asaba.
The theme of the summit was: “Industralisation and Youths Empowerment.”
The governor noted that the theme of the summit was apt and in tandem with the state’s agenda of Delta beyond Oil.
According to Uduaghan the theme of the summit was most thought of as it is in line with the state agenda of Delta Beyond Oil.
He said: “The agenda is not just a slogan but a deliberate policy aimed at galvanising the state economy.
“I am a strong advocate of the diversification of the economy and it is time for people to begin to identify that oil and gas as a natural resource are finite and are exhaustible resources.”
Uduaghan said that the state has identified infrastructure, human capital and small scales industrialisation among others as being crucial to economic development.
He noted that the state government based on the agenda has embarked on development of the non-oil sectors of the state economy like agriculture, tourism, micro and small industries through its micro credit schemes.
He said that the state has trained youths in various entrepreneurship scheme, adding that more than 100,000 youths and women have benefited from the state micro credit scheme.
He also said that the state government had encouraged tourism through partnership with the private sector in order to create employment for the youths.
Uduaghan commended the Oganihu Anoma for the summit and urged them to come up with working document that would impact the life of the people and compliment government effort in the development of the state economy.
One of the discussants, Chief Afam Obiago, the Economic Adviser to the Governor and a member of the Oganihu Anioma, said the Uduaghan administration was not just giving jobs but creating jobs through its programmes.
According to Obiago, the state government, through its Ministry of Commerce and Industry, will be disbursing about N2 billion for youths capacity building.
He said: “The ministry of commerce has been involved in build into youths and women the entrepreneurial skills needed to enable them start off and grow their businesses.
“Besides, five per cent of the state budget goes to the agricultural sector for job creation in that sector.”
Another discussant, Alexis Aligbe, an agriculture expert, tasked the Anioma people to key into agriculture, especially cassava production and processing, as a panacea for job creation and solution to youths employment.
Aligbe said that many world economy today survive on agriculture and not oil and gas, adding that notable Anioma people should galvanise resources and build processing industries in the region.
The meeting was attended by government officials, retired and serving permanent secretaries, students and notable sons and daughters of Anioma.
Follow The Eagle Online Channel on WhatsApp
