2023: Former health minister joins Ebonyi governorship race
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Engineer Fidelis Nwankwo
By Iheanachor Isaac, Abakaliki
A former Minster of State for Health, Engineer Fidelis Nwankwo has assured that there will be no room for the feared non-indigene syndrome in his administration, if elected as Governor of Ebonyi State.
This brought a total of five contestants under the platform of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for same position in the state.
Nwankwo made this known on Tuesday during his official declaration to contest the governorship position of the state in the forthcoming elections at his campaign office, in Abakaliki.
He further stated that his administration would be anchored on four cardinal programmes which would be in education, job creation and youth employment and rural infrastructure, if elected.
The former minister disclosed that he would pay attention to education, stressing that the primary school in the state is in a sorry state,
“Teacher population is no more than 30% of the requirement. We will fill this gap by recruiting the best and brightest sons and daughters of Ebonyi State.
“The term non- indigene will therefore have no place in my Government. For emphasis, my government will revisit the issue of all those whose properties including shops at Abakpa market and building in other parts of the State destroyed with a view to replacing them or paying them compensation.
“Those who have qualification in Education like NCE and Bachelors Degree especially in the areas of Science, Mathematics and English language, will be retained and posted to our elementary and junior secondary school, while those with university degree will be sent to senior secondary schools.
“My government will pursue with aggression, youth employment in both formal and informal sector with emphasis on filling quotas of Ebonyi State share of positions at the Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies.
“We will also focus on provision of enabling environment and grants, low unit loans and free training to help youths create their business in the areas in micro small and medium scale enterprise (MSME).
“The neglect of our rural areas in the provision of basic necessities of life like clean water, good sanitation, roads, electricity and in favour of white elephant projects that hardly hold value to our lives, but consume chunk of state funds, remains the bane of our underdevelopment.
“Provision of decentralised water system, rural electrification, and rural roads will be a priority issue to my government. This we hope will trigger a massive growth in micro and small industries in rural areas. Development of Primary Health Care system will come under this section.
“My government will not only provide a government that is characterised by sincerity of purpose, but also act with civility and anchored on established due process of running government business. This will help to restore normalcy in all facets of our life including security of lives and properties of the citizens.
“As a matter of policy, all those who live in the State, do their business here and pay taxes will be regarded as a citizen of the State and accorded full right of the citizens,” he said.
