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By Amos Odhe, Yenagoa
Among the 14 contestants for the Bayelsa State governorship seat in the November 11, 2023 election is Barrister Warmate Jones Idikio, candidate of the Accord Party (AP), who is also the director-general of the Yenagoa Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (YECCIMA).
A lawyer by training with vast knowledge, experience and expertise in several critical sectors of the Nigerian economy, Idikio’s primary purpose of joining the race for Creek Haven, the seat of power in Bayelsa State, is to develop a strong and sustainable economy for the true prosperity of the state and its people.
Recent statistics indicate that the oil rich state, with vast potentials in agriculture, ranks poorest among the 36 states of the country, with the major reason for this being attributed to the absence of blueprints for the development of critical economic sectors.
But, Idikio says all that can change with the implementation of a well designed and detailed 30-year Bayelsa Economic Development Plan, which is a key aspect of Project Bayelsa agenda that he purposes to introduce if voted governor on November 11.
One bane of the state is the penchant for playing politics without a concomitant concern for the growth and development of the economy leaving critical sectors to grind to a halt hence the overreliance on monthly allocations from the Federation Account for sustenance, he said.
Critically, Bayelsa State, like several other states of the federation, is just surviving and until it begins to do critical analyses of the challenges confronting it in the critical sectors, and does a self evaluation, things are likely to remain the same.
For Idikio, his vision is to make Bayelsa State the fastest growing economy by the year 2030 and his mission is to improve the standard of living of one million Bayelsans in four years.
According to him, the strategy is to build the local economy on a tripod of, first, building a productive people, secondly, encouraging the building of strong businesses and industries and thirdly, build a strong economy for the creation and redistribution of wealth.
He postulates an Economic Development Blueprint based on the establishment of a trade centre to increase local production output and encourage economic cooperation with other economies.
All the above are to be supported by an active “growth pole” focused investment policy to determine a holistic approach to turn the tide around and make the state the choice destination for investors and investments, he said.
Idikio stressed that the trade policy is to encourage the localization of production, establish a trade centre and encourage cross border trade.
The investment policy will identify key sectors with very high potentials, and identify and implement a growth pole for the delivery of the development strategy while the industrial policy is aimed at promoting production and the establishment of at least one technologically driven industry every year to increase output year on year.
Speaking on the philosophy behind his proposed 30-year Bayelsa State Economic Development Plan, Idikio said that it demonstrates “The uncontroverted desire of all Bayelsans, to deliberately work for the prosperity of the state through a well designed, structured and documented approach and unbroken implementation by governments in partnership with the private sector, and indeed all Bayelsans.”
The broad-based outcomes of the implementation of the development plan is to achieve critical market access, local technical capacity, financial growth, economic resilience and expansion and sustainability.
The question remains if Project Bayelsa is achievable, and with Idikio in the driving seat, the answer is a resounding yes based on his professionalism and experience in several critical sectors of the Nigerian economy, he said.
It Is believed that Idikio, who has administered the Yenagoa Chamber of Commerce Industry Mines and Agriculture, YECCIMA, for the better part of fifteen years as director general of YECCIMA, with a track record of professional engagement, has what it takes to address the dire and sagging economic situation of the state.
His policy propositions and lectures on economic development through the empowerment of small and medium enterprises over the past several years is testament to his deep knowledge of the issues involved. Over the years, he has held several positions and worked among groups engaged in advocacy, formulation and implementation of business environment critical policies and regulations.
He Is the founder of the AfCTA Roundtable, a continental think-tank of trade policy and investment experts, who interpret the content of the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement to SMEs and provide continent-wide advisory on trade policy implementation.
He is the General Counsel and member of Board of the All Africa Association for Small and Medium Enterprises, AAASME which has affiliations with the African Union. He is also a member of faculty of the Africa Industrialization Group with focus to accelerate the industrialization of the African continent under the African Union’s Accelerated Industrial Development for Africa Initiative.
Idikio says “The prosperity and development of Bayelsa State lies in the transformation of potentials and resources in building a strong, long term economy. This is the “New Paradigm,” he said.
On his bid to usher in a new era of economic development in the state if elected governor, he vows, “I pledge my unalloyed support for the development of Bayelsa State and to do my very best in the simplest of ways to provide decent living and achieve prosperity for all.”
