Tony Prest was born in Warri in 1960
to the late Chief Arthur Prest, a frontline politician of the time and deputy
leader of Action Group for 10 years under Chief Obafemi Awolowo of the then
Action Group. He is a businessman and politician. His business interests spread
across information and Communications Technology, Hospitality, Marine Security,
Oil and Gas, and Online Publications. He is a PDP governorship aspirant in
Delta State. In this interview with journalists, including SENIOR
CORRESPONDENT, AUGUSTINE ADAH, he speaks on his plans for the state.
Excerpts…
Why are you contesting for Delta
Governorship?
Tony Prest
Tony Prest
My entry into politics dates back
and has been in the area of ideology as influenced by the writings of great men
like John F Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jnr, Lenin, Wole Soyinka, Walter
Rodney, Franz Fanon, Gadhafi’s Green Book on Direct Democracy before Gadhafi
veered and most of the revolutionary Literature of the 21st Century. As
recently as 1998I, a few of my co-ideological travellers came together to
propagate the unregistered political party called Minority Rights Party. Our
Minority was however defined as women who are mostly marginalised, the Youth,
physically challenged people, Ethnic minorities, Northern Muslims who leave in
a Christian dominated South and Southern Christians who live in a Muslim
dominated North. Following this definition, our Minority turned out to be the
true Majority! Fundamentally I am qualified as a Delta indigene to contest the
Delta State Governorship position. When you add this to my wide experience in
business and understanding of the positive impact Good Governance will have in
the development of Delta State, I would deem it a crime against the good People
of Delta State for me not to present myself for service to my People. I want to
challenge the existing primordial system of recruitment of political offices
based on ethnic, religious, Federal Character, Zoning, Catchment Area and other
atavistic considerations, instead of ability and merit. If or when I succeed,
it will be a turning point for our coming generations as we will have
established merit and ability as the vital ingredients for achieving political
success. Another reason why I am contesting the governorship election of Delta
State is because, in my sincere view, Delta State has not achieved its full
potentials. Looking at the resources that abound in the State, apart from its
Oil Resource, from the arable land for agriculture to Rubber, Cocoa, Cassava,
Yam, Maize and other forms of mineral resources relative to the level of
development and industrialisation of the State, I will say that a lot still
needs to be done. Hence I am presenting myself to my People for service. I know
what it means to create Jobs as this has been my major pre occupation from my
days as a student at the University of Benin in the 80s till date. I know what
it means to harness resources and mobilise Men to achieve Economic Development.
I know what it will take to get financial support of the EXIM Banks from around
the various Continents of the World to our State for the purpose of Economic
Development and emancipation of our people. These and many more are reasons why
I am contesting for the Governorship position of Delta State.
Can we get an insight into
some of the plans you have for Delta State?
Through Good Governance,
Transparency and a strong Anti-Corruption orientation we shall create the
enabling environment for the private sector to drive our economy. We shall
create a Government enabled, Private Sector driven economy for Delta State. My
plans for Delta State are contained in my manifesto which covers but are not
limited to: Security, War against Corruption, Agriculture and Food Security,
Urban Renewal and Infrastructural Development, Industrialization, Economic
Development and Job Creation, Social Security, Education and Human Capital
Development, Tourism, Youth and Social Development, Delta Business and
Development Bureau, Energy Generation and Power Supply, Healthcare System and
Health Insurance, Civil Service Reform, Development of Delta State Capital;
Asaba, Housing and Urban Development, Waste Management and Environmental
Beautification, Revenue Generation and Wealth Creation, Local Government
Autonomy and Administration.
How do you intend to handle
security?
When we take the area of Security
for a start, we all know that there cannot be a conducive environment for
Economic development if we are not secured, if people do not feel safe, many
intending investors will look elsewhere. Therefore I will give serious priority
to the security of lives and property in Delta State. We would immediately
engage the Nigerian police and Scotland Yard for a comprehensive training and
re training of officers and Men deployed to Delta State. We shall set up a
State SWAT squad to respond to security challenges as they arise in the State.
We will partner with Government Security Agencies (GSA) on better modern
Communication / Surveillance equipment, improved Logistics and Community
Policing will be a key priority. Delta State has the resources and human
capital to address our current state of insecurity.
What about transportation?
On transportation, we shall
immediately implement the cheapest form of transportation in the World which is
RAILWAY LINES with the huge resources of almost $4 billion usd yearly that
Delta State gets. This will in itself massively reduce Youth unemployment (as
the project will create hundredss of thousands of jobs by extension ).Delta
RAILWAY LINES PROJECT will crisscross the whole State from Warri and Koko Ports
to Asaba and Orerokpe moving passengers and also take advantage of the movement
of goods from the Port cities of Warri and Koko to the commercial cities of
Eastern Nigeria.
On Health care I shall create a
world Class Health Care system in Delta State. Our public hospitals have
deteriorated completely owing to colossal and serial failure of leadership on
the side of occupants of state power. We must take the lives of our people
seriously. Life is sacred. There is no substitute to life. We are
therefore committed to a total overhaul of the health sector in Delta State to
make it patient – friendly.
You’d agree that unemployment is
growing –
A cardinal objective of our
government is to provide work for those that can and security for those that
cannot. All the various aspects of our manifesto speak volumes of our intention
to create jobs across all sectors of our economy from agriculture to commerce
specifically through a government enabled and private sector driven initiative.
In Delta state our first move regarding providing for people in our society who
are unable to work and earn a living due to no fault of theirs will be to enact
legislation to make it possible for our governments now and in future to pay
Social Security Benefit .This Social Security Benefit will be paid from the
over $4b/13% Resource Control Derivation wealth of delta state. Unemployment
benefit is still alien to our political economy but we intend to make it a
reality for the unemployed segments of our society while we work vigorously to
create jobs and pursue a zero percent unemployment strategy and create the
necessary conditions for the private sector to create jobs as well. Delta state
gets $4 billion about N680 billion a year. We will immediately implement a
monthly social security payment of N10, 000 to 500,000 Deltans from our 13%
derivation God given oil wealth. It is clearly the responsibility of Government
to establish a Social Security system that will provide relief to the good
People of Delta State who have been suffering all these years in spite of their
13% Oil wealth derivation. During the reconstruction and Development period
which we will commence as soon as we are in Government House, I Tony Prest
promise to pay N8, 000 to every unemployed single adult above 18 years and
N10,000 to the unemployed head of every family of resident Delta indigenes
monthly. This Social Security system will be funded from our constitutionally
provided 13% derivation.
How do you wish to use your
experience in business to develop Delta State?
With the huge resources of almost
$4b usd that Delta State gets annually and my experience in business, I will
turn Delta State into an Investors’ Heaven through a Zero tolerance for
Corruption and massive infrastructural development in for example Railways, Sea
ports enhancement, good roads, electricity, security, Human Capital
Development, etc.. I shall expose our raw materials and Agricultural Products
in a way that will attract the right investors to set up processing and
manufacturing industries in Delta State. All these steps will create the
enabling environment for industries to thrive in Delta State and thus create job
opportunities for our teaming youth population.
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