Kayode Shopekan
PEOPLES Democratic Party (PDP) gubernatorial candidate in the forthcoming Anambra election, Valentine Ozigbo, says part of projects he considers embarking on when elected as governor is the development of Onitsha Deep Seaport to bolster the economic activities of the state and the Southeast region as a whole.
Ozigbo, stated this on Saturday evening while taking part in a Governorship Election Debate, organized virtually by Prime Business Africa for candidates in the November 6, 2021, election in the state.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThe debate which was on the topic: “Anambra 2021: Security and Economy in Focus”, was to enable the candidates present themselves to the people who they want to serve and discuss critical issues about security and economy of the state which they would address and how they would address them if elected as governor.
The immediate past Chairman of the Transnational Corporation of Nigeria (TransCorp) Plc disclosed that he has had discussions with key stakeholders in the Southeast region on which part of the area to site the port, and Onitsha port was considered with the belief that it would accelerate the development of the state and entire Southeast region, while promising to do everything possible to ensure the project is done when elected as governor of the state.
“I have had a long discussion on this issue (developing a seaport in Southeast) with key stakeholders in this area, the person in charge of the infrastructural commission, and that of Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority, talking about how to bolster the economy of the Southeast and we were quite open-minded on which of the ports would make more sense, whether it is Onitsha port or any of the other ones in our surrounding environments; we considered Onitsha Port.
“We can actually go on with it given the feasibility and the economic potentials. The reason Lagos is what it is today is that it has a port; Anambra can actually skyrocket in terms of development when we have the port,” Ozigbo stated.
The PDP flag bearer in the Anambra governorship noted that leadership is about solving problems of the people and that needs first identifying what they are, adding that in relation to governance, the position of governor requires a person who has all it takes in terms of personal disposition, skills, experience, and knowledge of political, social and economic dynamics of the state.
He said that given his background, he has the right skills, experience and all it takes to solve the economic and security problems of the state.
Ozigbo said he is contesting because he wants to provide education, improve security, build roads, provide electricity, and most importantly build the economy of the state.
“The need to ensure that we have the right person in the office, with the right content of character, capacity, exposure, the right commitment, the right skill set and from the right party platform is very important,” Ozigbo, said.
Ozigbo, 50, believes that the only party that can deliver what the people of Anambra deserve is the PDP.
“Our party is the most acceptable party in Anambra because we unify the people and also have what it takes to ensure that an Igbo President emerges soonest.”
The accomplished banker said Anambra needs a disciplined leader who is hardworking to turn around the situation of things and make the state great again.
