Edevbie: How I will Boost Employment in Delta if Given the Chance

Olorogun David Edevbie is a technocrat and administrator. The former Commissioner of Finance in Delta State is one of the aspirants for the PDP governorship ticket in the state. He tells Funmi Ogundare how he will boost employment and achieve the Sustainable Development Goal for education in Delta if he becomes governor in 2023

How do you think the quality of education in Delta can be improved?

Education is a public good, a fundamental human right and a basis for guaranteeing the realisation of other rights. Therefore, the best approach is through social justice, people’s right to education for all, inclusion of people living with disability, which cuts across all ethnic and religious extractions, with a high degree of responsibility and accountability at all time.

What should a quality education system trigger in a society?
Take a good look at what the Delta State government under Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa is doing on education; you are sure that in no distance time, poverty eradication will no longer be an issue. A typical educational system should trigger peace, tolerance, human fulfilment and sustainable development and transformation in the land. That explains why continuity of good governance and political party ideology is essential.

What advise will you give other state governments in achieving this?
There is a need for state governments to partner with the private sector, civil society and revise certain policies. That was what we did when I was in government. Again, other states can learn from Okowa-led government. It’s not about politics, but about good governance so political party differences or any other sentiment should be put aside.

How will the ordinary citizen benefit in this education policy you mentioned?
Have you observed that Deltans are responsible and compassionate citizens? We are far united today as a people despite our multi ethnic nature than when we first emerge from old Bendel State and that is because these policies started from the administration of Chief James Ibori to Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan and now to Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa. The fact that Deltans are more responsible and compassionate citizens today is the end result of the policies.

What is your view on the school infrastructure in Delta State?
We need to build more, renovate and equip primary and secondary school infrastructures to modern status. The educational programme goal will be to promote literacy and critical thinking among our people and train them to be highly skilled with a competitive edge nationally and internationally, using modern method and ICT. In fact, I am already in serious talk with some Delta youths on the best infrastructure that will help them more, based on our peculiarity.

Since you are already in serious talks with some Delta youths on the best infrastructure, how do intend to impact teachers?
If I have the opportunity, I will recruit, train and retain all primary and secondary school teachers in Delta State. The teacher’s welfare will be my priority and key. I strongly believe in equity and compassion.

How do you intend to restore confidence in the public school system?
I will enforce a strict, yet regular monitoring and evaluation of the schools. Not only on policies and infrastructure, the quality and positive learning outcome for all, will be inclusive. Achieving the sustainable development goal for Education 2030, will be my aim. I will ensure that there is an infusion of ICT, skill acquisition and entrepreneur skills into the curriculum to help youths adapt to growing and emerging trends in employment. In line with the current administration’s initiative, attention will continue to be paid to Technical and Vocational Education (TVE) by upgrading the existing colleges and rolling out new colleges to ensure all 25 local government areas are covered, and efforts are made to ensure that all are fully equipped to world class standards. The same will apply to skills acquisition centres

What will be your plan for Deltans studying in higher institutions within and outside the state?
I will institute session’s bursary scheme for Delta students. Don’t forget, I was part of those that initiated the Niger Delta Amnesty Programme and we brought the idea of sending the militants to school both home and abroad. I was fully part of those that instituted the bursary scheme for them. I will do more of that in Delta State and as a two-time Finance Commissioner, I know that fusing this into education, will create a major paradigm shift in the life of those students in higher institution and to bring better economic benefits. Obviously, this will serve as a great incentive to the students.

What will make universities in Delta State unique?
I will make sure the universities encourage virtual education in line with global best practices of the ICT world. I know beyond all reasonable doubts that there is no limit to what we can achieve. Our tertiary education sector will be programmed for a revolution that will drive our government and peoples development aspirations. Our universities, polytechnics, monotechnics and colleges of education will be repositioned and given the mandate to solve complex social and scientific issues and point the way for our state and society in formulating public policies. The process has already commenced with the establishment of three new universities by the current administration. Our tertiary institution should spearhead the transition to a greater modern Delta.

You emphasised on ICT, will that be part of your priority if given the opportunity to lead the state?
Yes. I know that there needs to be a defocus on oil and a focus on other emerging priorities that can yield money. ICT it is. To this extent, I will deploy high-speed broadband in all local government areas, as we know, knowledge is power. I want to state clearly that there are emerging clean energy alternatives that depend on ICT to be fully implemented. We will explore these and latch on to those that will be clean, smart and profitable for the good of the Nigerian people and our Delta brothers and sisters.

Do you have any plan to merge ICT and security in Delta, understanding the peculiarity of your state?
Yes, ICT will be injected into the state security processes in order to make the region safer. If security is not well addressed, all development efforts would be in vain. Effective security architecture must be put in place to create a safe and peaceful state. ICT surely will be embedded into the state security architecture.

With your wealth of knowledge as a Commissioner for Finance and your international exposure, how do you plan to have safe governance on ICT?
I am glad that you chose your words carefully. Yes, it’s possible and I will make sure that the safe governance on ICT will be such that the citizens will be able to communicate freely without being monitored, the press will be free to transmit the truth in strict accordance with the NBC and NUJ guidelines and business people transact their business with all decency and free of fraudulent practices. All these people will do this in real time. My vision is to modernise Delta State and in doing that, the developmental strategy will be laser-focused on energy, security, job and wealth creation, social infrastructure and public sector reforms. This will be underpinned by a medium/long term development plan backed by appropriate legislation.

How do you intend to carry the youth population along on ICT?
If privileged, I have said it that the youth will form a minimum of 25 per cent of the cabinet. It’s clearly going to be a government of youths in all dimensions. Yes, my governance style will be inclusive and youth-based because it’s a known fact that the youths have the energy and they are the drivers of ICT. We have seen youths use Twitter, Facebook and Whatsapp to revolutionise business in the sphere of self-employment and rapid productivity. This merging of youths and ICT will trigger a ripple effect all around Nigeria that will show that youth power is it. The use of ICT will be promoted at all education levels, from primary through secondary to tertiary.

What specifically will this ripple effect look like in practical terms?
The ripple effect in Nigeria and Delta State will be that we will witness knowledge-based youth (or ICT-driven youths as you the media, would name them) starting digital economies that are more stable and profitable than Crypto currency, they will provide smarter employment opportunities that will be easy to set up, they will empower small businesses and definitely these activities will so accelerate digital innovation in real time in Delta State and all around Nigeria. You watch and see.

What are those basic things you will put in place to see the actualisation of the ripple effect of ICT?
The basic things I will do as priority along with my team is that we will improve critical infrastructures; power generation, transmission and distribution and a proper network of the broadband access nodal points.

What kind of Delta State do you see when harnessed properly with ICT?
I see a Delta where the ICT power will be amazing that businesses will be able to improve their value chains, increase productivity, modernise their practices, and have a smart delivery system. This is not only what I see, but my team and I will make it all happen.

What do you think your ICT policies will do to the youths in your state and beyond?
As I said earlier, it will make the youths smarter and their businesses more productive. However, it will encourage creativity at its peak, increased deployment of skills, increased productivity and a sustainable yet clean knowledge-based economy. Watch out for an emerging ICT compliant state. Watch out for Delta State. We will have three ICT incubation hubs in the three senatorial districts to identify and support promising local entrepreneurs and professionals who can interact and learn from each other.

Do you mean these ICT policies will seep into the private and government sectors?
My ICT policies will definitely be seen in the private and government sectors as it will generally increase operational efficiency, improve transparency and promote easy yet nice customer experience. In fact, it’s going to clearly be a private-government partnership.

Will the soft work of this be outsourced?
No way. The soft work including the development of software, will be done by the youths in our state and thereby create jobs. Government will promote the development of local softwares solution and applications to ensure that they are responsive to their communities and create employment for the people.