The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) governorship candidate in Delta State, Deacon Chris Iyovwaye, has called for a resource-driven industrialisation strategy, arguing that the state has the natural and human resources to build a stronger economy and create sustainable prosperity.
Iyovwaye made the position known on Thursday, November 12, 2026, during a mega town hall meeting organised by the Directorate for Labour and Professional Bodies of the NDC at Monarchy Event Centre, Effurun.
He expressed concern that despite Delta State’s rich deposits of oil, gas and solid minerals, many communities remain economically underdeveloped, with residents yet to experience significant improvements in their living conditions.
The candidate argued that the state’s development strategy must move beyond dependence on crude oil revenues and focus on the responsible exploitation and processing of its wider natural resource base.
He identified limestone, gypsum, silica and clay among the minerals he said could support industrial activities, including ceramics, glass production and solar-related manufacturing.
Using the example of the former Delta Glass factory, which he said had become inactive, Iyovwaye argued that the availability of silica in the state presented an opportunity to develop local industries and create jobs.
He also called for renewed attention to agriculture, describing the sector as an important source of employment, industrial raw materials and export earnings.
According to him, Delta has the land and agricultural potential to expand production in crops such as cassava and maize, as well as fisheries and animal husbandry, but has yet to fully harness these opportunities.
“We are just talking. We have land everywhere. We’re not touching agriculture,” he said, urging the state to develop a more deliberate strategy for agricultural production and processing.
Iyovwaye further identified reliable electricity supply as indispensable to industrialisation, arguing that industries could not thrive without affordable and consistent energy.
He said Delta’s oil and gas resources offered opportunities to strengthen power generation and support industrial activities, adding that the state should address the challenges preventing communities from enjoying reliable electricity.
The NDC candidate maintained that industrialisation should be pursued through practical investment in local production, resource processing, infrastructure and skills development.
He said the objective should be to transform Delta’s natural endowments into businesses, employment opportunities and improved living standards for residents.
Iyovwaye urged professionals and other stakeholders to examine his proposals, insisting that the state had the resources to achieve meaningful economic transformation if they were responsibly managed.
