A governorship aspirant in
Bayelsa State, Mr Reuben Okoya, has said that the challenges currently facing the state are surmountable.
Okoya told newsmen in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital, that he had developed antidotes to address the environmental, economic, socio-political, and educational, infrastructure deficiency if elected.
The former Coordinator, Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), Federal Capital Territory (FTC), said that he was familiar with the needs of the state.
He said he would contest the governorship primaries to enable him fly the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) flag in the December 5, elections.
“I have served with various PDP governments and I will continue to remain in the party because PDP is a united house.
“On peculiar problem in Bayelsa; one major challenge here is water in terms of constructions but those problems are surmountable.
“We have problem of lack of infrastructure, environmental problems, lack of roads, housing, among others but we can overcome them that is what I do for a living for the past 30 years.
“I am an architect, and my expertise is on Project Development and Management, I believe I can make a difference in Bayelsa that is why I want to become the next governor to serve my people at the highest level.
“If you build Bayelsa, the investor will come. The huge public funds expended in attracting investors are waste, investors are looking for the right environment and they know how to locate their destinations.
“What we need in this state is massive infrastructure and human capital development, if we achieve them, we will have influx of investors in Bayelsa.
“We are not only going to develop Yenagoa, the capital city, but development will get to the people in the rural area because this is where the agricultural businesses are done.
“Our people need agriculture to survive even though Bayelsa is rich, but we also need to diversify into agribusiness with the uncertainty around oil revenue, so, we need roads to the rural areas,” he said.
On education, Okoya said that education would be accorded top priority in Bayelsa under his watch because “education is key to societal survival and development.
“Society cannot grow properly unless the people are properly educated from the primary, secondary and tertiary.”
