CHIEF TONY PREST FOR DELTA STATE: PROFILE AND MANIFESTO (PART DRAFT)

PERSONALITY PROFILE

Chief Anthony Tosan Prest (born 1 October1960,Warri, Nigera) born in Warri to the late Chief Arthur Prest and Mrs Mabel Prest in 1960. Chief Arthur Prest who was the Olorogun of Warri,was one of the founders of Action Group Party where he served as deputy leader to Chief Obafemi Awolowo for 10 years, he later became Nigeria`s first Minister of Communications in Nigeria and later, the country`s Ambassador to the court of St. Jamesin the United Kingdom.

He established Prest Cable and Satellite TV Systems, the first cable satellite redistribution service in the whole of the Niger-Delta. He started with TDMA technology, went on to CDMA, then WBCDMA, He introduced wireless internet to Benin in 1997 and it was the only internet service provider  in Nigeria outside Lagos. 60 % Prestel was sold to Oceanic bank in 2008 and Prestel is now rolling out a national unified license EVDO network all over Nigeria.

Tony Prest was born in Warri to the late Chief Arthur Prest and Mrs Mabel Prest in 1960. Chief Arthur Prest who was the Olorogun of Warri,was one of the founders of Action Group Party where he served as deputy leader to Chief Obafemi Awolowo for 10 years, he later became Nigeria`s first Minister of Communications in Nigeria and later, the country`s Ambassador to the court of St. Jamesin the United Kingdom.

Tony Prest attended Uvwie Nursery School Effurun, and then proceeded to Mayflower Secondary School, Ikene, a school established and managed by the famous Dr Tai Solarin, it was while at Mayflower College that Tony was introduced to the welfarist and humanist philosophy of service to society. • From Mayflower College, he proceeded Lansdowne Tutors in Kensington, London, England, Before returning to Nigeria after many eventful, character-building years in England. Tony had become influenced by the seminal works of some of the most accomplished writers and thinkers of the time. His world outlook was influenced by the likes of Che Guevara, Walter Rodney, Franz Fanon, Martin Lurther King,Jr, Wole Soyinka and John F. Kennedy

He attended University of Benin and after spending 2 Years Studying History and 3 years Studying Law, the irrepressible entrepreneurial spirit in him drove him to move on, first setting up Anthony’s Fishmongers and selling fish to students, lecturers and the general public while still an undergraduate; and later, to leverage on the ICT revolution to develop and provide ICT access for Nigeria through the establishment of Prestel, The first private telephone operator in Nigeria`s entire Niger –Delta region.With the fervour for service for country burning within him. Tony decided to return to Nigeria to contribute to the development of his beloved Country.

Tony Prest established the first 150-seater Prest Lunch and Dinner Luxury Cruise Fine Dining Restaurant Boat complete with live music on the Lekki Canal in Lagos Island– the first and only functioning Restaurant boat in Nigeria and he is also majority owner of Primi Piatti Italian Fusion Waterfront Fine Dining Restaurant. He is the owner Prest Marine limited •Owner and Managing Director Crest Marine Services Limited, A Marine Security Company with many Fully Ballistic Armoured Gun Boats Used For Marine Security in the Oil And Gas Industry and Government Agencies like NIMASA where they just finished a One year Contract.

A visionary, analytical, logical and seasoned entrepreneur having broad experience with over 40 years leadership and senior management experience, building, leading, driving and motivating passionate and creative teams to achieve Corporate goals and objectives. And always finding ways of improving, creating employment and adding value to economical status of state and country

He established Prest Cable and Satellite TV Systems, the first cable satellite redistribution service in the whole of the Niger-Delta. He started with TDMA technology, went on to CDMA, then WBCDMA, He introduced wireless internet to Benin in 1997 and it was the only internet service provider  in Nigeria outside Lagos. 60 % Prestel was sold to Oceanic bank in 2008 and Prestel is now rolling out a national unified license EVDO network all over Nigeria.

He also initiated the local manufacture and sold over 1000 satellite dishes from KU-band to C-band. Flush with innovative ideas, he contributed immensely to the tourism and entertainment industry by opening the first Beef Burger Shop in Benin City; Prest Casino in Benin City, the first one in Benin City, then he also opened the first casino in Surulere, Lagos .The casinos where complete with black jack tables, roulette tables, slot machines  etc.

Tony Prest opened Prest Motel , complete with 42 rooms accommodation and the first karaoke bar in Nigeria outside Lagos; He set up Anthony’s jazz club as an under graduate at the University of Benin with Enot Ogbebor and some friends. Later he set up Speakeasy The Jazz Cabin in GRA Benin City with Ken Enahoro and Eugene Enahoro. These were all very successful clubs.; as well as Olorogun Arms Hotel and Odosun Industries inherited from his dad which were in the hospitality and boat building sectors. He introduced the first ever permanent comedy nights in Nigeria, live bands four times a week and because of Tony’s love for the theater he hosted plays every Sunday for five years. University of Benin Theatre Art Department moved their plays to Prest Motel multi-purpose auditorium permanently for five years

Chief Anthony Tosan Prest has a track record for launching pioneer businesses across Nigeria and he is easily one of Nigeria's leading ICT experts and foremost technocrats. Some of his other enterprises include Meals on Wheels, Tosan Prest Oil and Gas, Prest Worldwide Trading Company that manufactures 250cc Prest Leisure Power Bikes, Prest Laminate Floorboards and Prest Trailers. In 1998 Anthony Tosan Prest, along with some like minded patriots set up the Minority Rights Party which was one of the 25 parties that sought registration with the INEC. The Party later merged with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Tony Prest remains a committed member of the PDP. He is today, a Member of the Board of Directors of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). In October 2013, Anthony Prest Delta Declared his interest in the Delta State 2015 Gubernatorial race. Tony Prest is Happily married to Itohan Edo-Osagie-Prest a Geologist with a Masters In Petroleum Geology and he has 6 children.

MY VISION

My vision for Delta State is for a secure environment where people and industry can develop and flourish like first world countries.

MY MISSION

My mission is to make Delta State habitable and secure where people will be free to actualize their dreams economically, politically, educationally and socially; to lay a solid foundation for the development of our dear State.

Please send your comments and suggestion of what you want in the Manifesto

With a full description of how it will be implemented. manifesto@tonyprestdelta2015.com

FIRST DRAFT OF OUR MANIFESTO FOR INPUT BY

ALL DELTANS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

Security is a critical ingredient for ensuring, and sustaining socio-economic development. Delta State once a land of relative peace and security has over the years become a haven for diverse criminal activities including – armed robberies, student cult related violence, assassinations, militancy, political thuggery, kidnappings, ethnic /communal violence, etc. We are determined to put an end to these and other types of criminal activities. To this end, my government shall:

Enhance consultations and collaboration with registered trained local vigilantes/ neighbourhood watch/community based security groups. The Nigeria Police Force and foreign police units will be consulted for advice and assistance in crime

fighting and deterrence. State Police units in the United States and Britain are already being considered for this purpose.

Agreements will be reached with the Inspector General of Police to allow Delta State Government retrain and equip all police men deployed to Delta State. For example, Delta state will provide Wimax Radios for security organs, including vigilantes and special anti-kidnapping units will be setup with SWAT training.

We shall implement a statewide CCTV monitoring of hotspots, use of solar powered street and community lighting including full implementation of a Rogues Gallery Project whereby a database of all crimes and criminal

activities will be captured and digitized. “...We are determined to put an end to these and other types of criminal activities.”

“One of the saddest lessons of history is this: If we've been bamboozled long enough, we tend to reject any evidence of the bamboozle. We're no longer interested in finding out the truth. The bamboozle has captured us. It's simply too painful to acknowledge, even to ourselves, that we've been taken. Once you give a charlatan power over you, you almost never get it back.”

Carl Sagan, “Power does not corrupt. Fear corrupts... perhaps the fear of a loss of power.” John Steinbeck The most difficult person to wake up from sleep is the person that pretends to be sleeping.

My government will expose the forces of corruption and their clandestine practices to public scrutiny, and hand over the culprits to the established enforcement agencies for prosecution. To this end, our Anti-graft/Anti-corruption programmes will involve/undertake:

• Setting up of a State Anti Corruption agency which will be run by a much

disciplined person whose integrity is beyond reproach. Study will be immediately done to work out a modality in which the anti corruption agency will synergize the police and the EFCC to make them effective.

• Empowerment & support of all anti graft agencies to stem corruption.

• Passage of a bill to limit the abuse of no-bid government contracts.

• Extension of Assets declaration within the state’s work force to high cadre

personnel.

• Lifting the veil from secret deals in Delta State with a “whistle-blower” website with a search engine, and other web tools that will enable residents & indigenes (locally and in the Diaspora) to easily track online, state and local government contracts, earmarks, and lobbyistcontacts with government officials.

Effective collaboration will be made with Civil Society groups in this regard to ensure independent transparent public audits and feedbacks on projects. Budget allocations will be published online for people to monitor and report on use /abuse of budgetary allocations, etc.

• The Freedom of information bill (FOI) will be taught in Primary schools, Secondary schools and Universities. Agriculture constitutes  the  main  source  of

employment in major parts of the world. N o t d ev e l o p i n g a g r i c u l t u r e i s tantamount to impoverishing the masses. Re- vitalizing agriculture, however, is embarking on positive pro- poor development. Rural urban migration has impacted negatively on the sustenance of agricultural development in Delta State which once prided itself as a veritable agriculturally endowed state.

Many other agricultural areas are also affected – yam farming, rice planting, cassava farming, etc.

Delta youth now want to 'check out' to seek greener pastures' in Europe, Asia and other African countries. Local and international media are replete with stories of the painful plight of many of them. The land is still there and still as rich! What is

needed is targeted intervention by government, the private sector, and the populace in a PPP model.

“...The land is still there and still as rich! What is needed is faithful intervention by Government, private sector, and the populace in a PPP model.” There will be a major effort in the agricultural sector and we will improve on the initiatives of

states such as Kwara and others in the following areas:

• Increase budget for Agriculture by 40% with massive investment in mechanized/commercial Farming.

• Support farmers- Acquire and distribute fertilizers, herbicides and insecticides. Also make modern faming tools and implement available at subsidized rates.

• Facilitate the provision of agricultural loans to farmers / farmers co-operatives with the objective of making Delta State the food basket of the nation

• In the area of tomatoes, pepper, citrus, rice, yam and cassava farming, processing plants will be put in place to channel the large output envisaged by large scale mechanized commercial agriculture.

• Development of a proper fish market

• Construction of abattoirs

• Develop poultry farming. Over the next three years, we shall attempt to have a stock of 5-8 million layers spread over holdings across the 18 local governments

and produce over 150,000 crates of eggs per day. Setup a 3000 hectare farming commune in each of the 25 local governments of the state.

To achieve this, we shall:

• Build & develop modern shopping Malls of finest international standard.

• Invest (using the PPP model) in Infrastructure  maintenance  and expansion such as road networks, power, health care, etc. We intend to keep a 'No pot hole' policy for our roads.

• Build a first world standard Water Park. Build a world class Theme Park Disney Style .

• Sign boards, one stop shop for payment of sign boards, adverts

outdoor/Neon  Lights  will  be implemented.

• Modernization of our existing local markets.