‘PPA will tap potentials for development’

CANDIDATE of the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA), Enesi Emmanuel Ozigi, an Abuja-based consultant and real estate developer, revealed his dream for the state to JOHN AKUBO in Lokoja.

On a rescue mission
I joined the race to contest for the governorship of Kogi to rescue the state from the present situation of under development. It is apparent that God has given the state all the needed resources to be at the forefront of the most developed states in the northern region, but due to lack of visionary leadership, the state remains the worst after 24 years of its creation. 

The state can boast of at least 24 mineral resources in commercial quantities and it is the only state in the country where two major rivers, Benue and Niger, formed a confluence, but yet the state cannot utilize the potentials to feed its citizens. All these are there and the state is lying fallow.  

I present myself for the election so that I can use my wealth of experience to move Kogi forward.

I believe that the best way to save the state from the current pathetic situation is to join the race to convince the people that there can be a change from the traditional ways of doing things in the state. 

We are trying to bring an innovation to governance, to modernize the governance of the state based on best practice, accountability and equitable distribution of resources.

I believe that the best way to save the state from the current pathetic situation is to join the race to convince the people that there can be a change from the traditional ways of doing things in the state. We are trying to bring an innovation to governance, to modernize the governance of the state based on best practice, accountability and equitable distribution of resources.

Harnessing the potentials
We will sit together with the Federal Government to galvanize the opportunities through Public Private Partnership (PPP). In addition to that, we have a robust blueprint that will serve as a guide to us on what to do in terms of development. The blueprint will serve as our road map through which we can change the face of the state in terms of development. 

We will address unemployment problem through empowerment of youths and women and we will improve on infrastructure in the state. We will galvanize the potentials that abound in solid minerals and tourism. We will make the state a tourist hub that will motivate foreigners to come and invest for the benefit of the state. This will improve the economy of the state and the GDP will improve and the living standard of the people will also be jacked up.

No reason to drop mandate
I have no reason to think of stepping down for any candidate. I contested the primary election in preparation to featuring in the governorship election slated for November 21st. I have all the requirements to be the governor of the state. Nobody is sponsoring my ambition, as this contest is an initiation of the people who believe in me and in my capacity to lead. 

They are the ones propelling the change movement in terms of governance. There is no gainsaying at this critical point of the election campaign associating me with falsehood of stepping down for a candidate. 

All the campaigns of calumny by those mischievous people who do not have the capacity, who are jittery are the ones peddling this unpleasant rumour of stepping down. Ozigi came to contest and win the election. So how can I think of collapsing my structure for another party? 

I challenged the mongers to a debate, so that we can showcase our worth and manifestos base on what we have in stock for the state in the area of development. I may be the youngest of the contestants, but that does not mean that I don’t have what it takes to govern the state to glory.

What Kogi needs for development
A perfect and sincere public financial management is what the state needs to attain development. I will make sure that our institutions are properly reformed so that the capacity of the state is viable. We will block all the leakages to create chances for improvement in governance. 

The institutions we have in the state are weak. We will rejuvenate them to be strong for adequate service delivery to improve the Internal Generated Revenue (IGR) of the state. There are a lot of leakages, which we will try as much as possible to block and once that is done, we will be able to monitor the resource and channel it towards the parts that will benefit the people and the state.

I will make sure that our institutions are properly reformed so that the capacity of the state is viable. We will block all the leakages to create chances for improvement in governance. The institutions we have in the state are weak. We will rejuvenate them to be strong for adequate service delivery to improve the Internal Generated Revenue (IGR) of the state. There are a lot of leakages, which we will try as much as possible to block and once that is done, we will be able to monitor the resource and channel it towards the parts that will benefit the people and the state.

Improving Lokoja
Kogi is a central point either to the south, east, and north or even to the western part of the country. I am not here to condemn anybody but the issue is that it is obvious that there are governance issues in the state. With my experience, there are things that I can bring to bear that will elevate the state. 

First, the poverty level of the state is too high. Second, the decay in the infrastructure of Kogi is also high. Third, you look at the potentials of Kogi which have not been tapped, not in terms of human resource, I am talking in terms of natural resources, in terms of tourism, in terms of education and all other sectors that we can galvanize.