Speaking at the Delta State Economic and Investment Summit in Asaba on Friday, Vice President, Yemi Osibanjo observed that no society can grow without the private sector playing active roles.
According to him, “as a government, we have no choice but to create the environment for the private sector to thrive; I think the private sector must be a responsible partner, paying taxes and contribute to all manners of social activities that makes the society truly great.”
“We are confronted today in our country with the challenge of leadership, we must take time to reflect on the type of leadership we have because, governments in Nigeria have never been short of good ideas and good plans, but the challenge is sticking to the plan and getting desired results,” he said, adding, “time has come to get results, public officers must be held to account for their performances; time and resources are saved when qualified people are hired.”
He appealed to those who are in positions of authority to build the trust of the people “and we must build that trust if we are trustworthy ourselves.”
Governor Okowa at the summit, said, “our partnership with the private sector is of utmost priority with us and we are pursuing it with relentless vigour, adopting robust and flexible private public partnership models that guarantees a win-win for all.”
‘Beyond the pomp and pageantry of the silver jubilee celebration, it is also an occasion for the sober reflection; a time to pause, think deep and chart a new growth trajectory for the future of our great state,” he stated, reiterating, “the need for foresight, careful planning, innovation and creativity has never been as it is today.”
Governor Okowa disclosed that the summit was necessary because, “with the ever growing complexity, disruption and global competition of the 21st century, it is incumbent on us to build a strong, robust and resilient economy that is adaptable to the physical, social and technological changes that are a growing part of the age we live in; we must rise to the challenge now, or we lose out,” assuring that his administration was committed to repositioning Delta State as preferred investors’ destination.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Summit, Mr Jim Ovia, Chairman, Zenith Bank Plc, said, “Delta State is a land of infinite possibilities, we should start thinking outside the box, we should think about alternative to oil,” while the guest lecturer at the occasion, Prof. Charles Soludo, former Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria asserted that the state could be the economic cum tourism destination of the world, if its four sea ports, international airport, good road networks are well harnessed for the state to be accessed by sea, air and land.
