President General of Edjeba community in Agbarha, Warri Kingdom, Deacon Ibuakevwe Ejiroghene Oghuwvie, a graduate of Political Science from Delta State University Abraka DELSU and currently, during his Masters in DELSU, in this interview, speaks on his plans for Warri South Local Government Council. Excerpts:

As the President General of the Edjeba community, how have you been able to manage with these institutions in sustaining the peace in your community?

We have a system here working for us. The community is not in the hands of the youths. It is well structured such that elders have influence over what we do. This has helped to ensure peace in the community. As the Oghuwvie, I report to the Council of Elders and Chiefs through the Unuvwodo. When there are issues, it flows down from the elders to me. I give instructions down to the elders and women, and this has helped us to manage disturbance or social upheaval in our community. Our system is structured from the Council of Elders, the chiefs Oghuwvie and to the executives and to larger society.

What is the relationship between your community and these institutions?

We are host to College of Education Warri, Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, taken over by Nigerian Petroleum Development Company, NPDC, State School of Nursing, Delta Broadcasting Service, DBS, and others. We have cordial relationships  with them. From time to time, the Provost of the College of Education, calls us on the activities of the community. On employment slots, they call me to recommend names for the community slots.

Are you comfortable with their performance in the community?

We need more. We need more for our people so that our people can be well-placed in these institutions. Remember that these areas used to be our farmland where our forefathers did farm in the past. And that is why  these institutions get to integrate us as their host community.

What motivated you to say you want to contest for the position of the Chairman of Warri South Local Government Area?

I was born and brought up here in Warri, I had my primary and secondary education in Warri. Warri was bubbling with nightlife and companies were here, but that is different now. A lot of things have gone. Today, life is different. The only thing now working in Warri is tricycle transportation. I have thought about the process and I have also identified the challenges as well, hence I am strongly motivated that public service offers the strongest platform for impacting lives. Like I said, I have identified the challenges and what it takes to be fixed in order to develop our economy. We need the bottom to top approach in order to provide jobs for our people, empower our women and revive the once bubbling Warri city.

Warri  is a complex area with major ethnic groups of Urhobo, Itsekiri and others. How do you hope to achieve your dream in the face of these complexities?

There is strength in unity. We have not been able to explore to the optimal knowing full well that there is strength in our diversity. In the past, Urhobo and Itsekiri did things together. I grew up in Ekpen, I have blood link to Okere- Itsekiri and my grandmother is from there. I remember during the Awankere festival, the Okere-Urhobo, Agbarha Urhobo and the Itsekiri participated in the Okere Juju festival. We have lived together and life was so good then. We can still encourage it by putting the right policies in place to achieve a harmonious relationship.

Can you speak about your fruitful consultation with various persons and groups?

Based on the Constitution of Nigeria, if you have stayed anywhere for more than 10 years, you are automatically an indigene.  I see those residing in Warri whether indigenes or not as stakeholders. The Hausa  Yoruba, Ibo and others are part of my campaign structure to emerge as the Chairman of Warri South Local Government Area. These people have also played their roles in the development of Warri South Local Government Area.

Local government election is at the discretion of the leaders and the state governor. What is your relationship with the Leaders of Warri South Local Government Area?

That is the essence of my campaign to bridge the gap and familiarise myself with the leaders. My consultation is fantastic and encouraging. We have met both Urhobo and Itsekiri leaders for consultation, and it is still ongoing.

What is your relationship with the grassroots?

By virtue of my position as the former Secretary, now President and Oghuwvie of the Edjeba community, I am a grassroots man with a strong grassroots base. It is the grassroot encouragement that is propelling me to come out for this race.

Some Nigerians are saying the local government councils are not working. Do you think this third tier of government should be scrapped?

That view is very wrong. The local government council is closer to the people  and offers leadership as well. Governor Sheriff Oborevwori was once a former councillor and so was former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, who developed his leadership skills and climbed to become the governor of Delta State. So, the local government offers leadership and brings the government closer to the people. However, there are some challenges that need to be rectified.

A lot of markets in Warri are very dirty. How are you going to tackle this problem if you emerge as the Council Chairman?

Thank God the market falls under the purview of the local government council, I am going to make the markets environmentally friendly and hygienic in line with the standard practice most especially our abattoirs, including the killing and transportation of cows. We are going to operate a standard procedure that encompasses the way you slaughter and transport your cow meat so that it does not constitute a public health problem. A standard that will give Warri people a clean bill of health.

How do you hope to resolve touting in Warri South?

This problem is not restricted to Warri South Local Government Council alone. The Delta State Government has passed a law that prohibits such. We are going to pass ours to strengthen it and set up a committee to monitor anybody harassing motorists. We will make it such that anybody caught shall be arrested and dealt with.

During his Inauguration speech as Governor of Delta State, Governor Oborevwori promised to give Warri Effurun a face lift. Would you say he is keeping to his promises?

Yes, he is a promise keeper. He is working towards making Warri Effurun the status they deserve. Within the space of three to four months, we saw him awarding contracts of three flyovers to construction giant, Julius Berger. It is the first in the history of Delta State. Right now, work is going on. At the same time, he has turned Warri into a construction hub where every now and then, you see Governor Oborevwori visiting and inspecting one project or the other in Warri. Take a look at Upper Erejuwa, Esisi, street lights in Effurun. Yes, he is keeping to his promise! These are signs that Deltans should expect MORE.

At the federal level, assess the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and the All Progressive Congress, APC, from 1999 to date…

How much was a bag of rice under former Presidents Obasanjo and Jonathan? Under Buhari, we thought that with his policy on local production of rice, things would change, but nothing has changed. Under the APC government, Nigerians are passing through hardship. While APC talks more and does little or nothing, PDP has good policies that can remove Nigerians from poverty. APC has failed Nigerians so they should throw in the towel. PDP has a good programme and policies that is what I am selling and offering at the grassroots.