Former Minister of State for Education and foremost Governorship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party in Delta State, Chief Kenneth Gbagi, has thrown his weight behind the industrialization agenda of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa.
Gbagi, in a statement issued on Sunday, said the move by the Delta State Government to establish the Kwale Industrial Park along Ughelli-Asaba Expressway would pave the path for the State to be Nigeria’s biggest location for gas and energy-intensive manufacturing such as ceramics, rubber and methanol.
The project, which will be sited at Issele-Uku, according to Governor Okowa, comprises the establishment of a state-of-the-art manufacturing plant for power transmission, telecommunication masts, hot-dip galvanizing plant, tower testing and certification facility and research facility training school.
Gbagi, a renowned philanthropist and industrialist, described the initiative by the Governor Okowa-led administration as a timely intervention that would attract foreign and local investments as well as address unemployment in the state.
He added that the project upon its implementation and completion would also diversify the state government’s revenue source and earning power.
“I consider the effort by Governor Okowa to establish the Kwale Industrial Park as one deserving of commendation and support, particularly given that the project will create employment and open up channels for economic diversification.
“Nigeria and almost every state of the federation as we know, depends solely on revenue and allocations from crude oil sale, with most of the monies used for financing recurrent expenditure in their respective annual budgets.
“However, when states key into industrialization, the impact created would result in multiple benefits such as job creation, revenue diversification and an economic environment that attracts foreign investment and promotes Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs),” Gbagi said in the statement.
