Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate for Abia State, Dr Kelechi Anosike, don promise say e go restore dignity of civil service through comprehensive welfare package for workers. The package include N90,000 minimum wage, health insurance and recall of 15,000 sacked workers.
Anosike make the promise on Tuesday during interview on Arise TV Morning Show. Him outline him proposed welfare-driven approach to governance. Him express concern over condition of workers for the state, particularly senior civil servants. Him talk say e no acceptable for directors to dey struggle with transportation to their workplaces.
Him talk say workers no go retire before reaching stipulated retirement age under him administration. ‘As a welfarist, we play by the rules. If the rule says you retire at 60 years or after 35 years of service, and you have not gotten there, we will not retire you,’ na him talk. Him add say him administration go bring back 15,000 workers wey him claim dem dismiss prematurely. Him note say their removal affect their families. ‘Those 15,000 workers sacked before their time, we will recall them because behind every sacked worker is a family struggling to feed and pay school fees,’ Anosike talk.
The PDP candidate talk say least-paid civil servant, including school certificate holder, go earn N90,000 under him proposed wage structure. Him also promise to provide official vehicles for directors and magistrates. ‘A situation where directors are using tricycles to go to work will stop. Directors and magistrates will get official cars,’ him talk.
Anosike talk say him proposed Civil Service Care and Pension Plus scheme go provide health insurance, medical allowances and prompt payment of promotion and leave allowances. Him further pledge to settle outstanding gratuities, pensions and allowances within him first 100 days in office. According to am, the measures aim to create motivated and productive workforce.
On revenue generation, Anosike talk say governance suppose go beyond awarding road contracts. Him promise to attract foreign direct investment and utilise state mineral resources to finance him proposed programmes. Him identify gypsum for Lokpanta, limestone for Arochukwu and Isuikwuato, as well as dormant oil wells, as resources wey fit develop to increase state internally generated revenue.
Him also promise to end daily taxation of petty traders, including barrow and truck pushers and akara sellers. Him claim the daily tax fit amount to N350,000 every year for some traders. Him criticise state industrial relations record, allege say judicial workers don embark on strike four times in three years. ‘What is on the ground in Abia is completely different from what is being shown on social media. Judicial workers have gone on strike four times in three years,’ him talk.
Anosike talk say him proposed welfare programmes achievable. Him claim say state don receive nearly N1.7tn in past three years. Him talk say local governments, wey him claim dey receive between N500m and N750m monthly, go allowed to deploy their funds for development under him proposed ‘Let Your Money Work For You’ policy.
On him chances for governorship race, Anosike talk say voters go assess administration based on impact on their welfare rather than social media projections. Him also commend national and state leadership of PDP for providing him platform to contest election.
For him revenue plan, Anosike unveil strategy anchored on foreign investment, industrialisation, solid minerals and expansion of economic activities. Him talk say state must grow revenue base rather than squeeze petty traders and low-income earners with multiple taxes. Him argue say the strategy go provide resources to finance him proposed N90,000 minimum wage and other welfare programmes without imposing additional burdens on residents.
Him talk say Abia get sufficient economic assets to substantially expand internally generated revenue if government shift emphasis from levies on informal sector to investment and productive activities. Him identify solid minerals, oil, manufacturing, agriculture and state commercial sector as areas him administration go seek to develop to generate jobs and increase government revenue. According to am, mineral resources including gypsum and limestone, as well as oil assets, fit harness as part of broader strategy to diversify state economy.
Anosike talk say attracting foreign direct investment go be central to the plan. Him argue say new businesses and industries go broaden tax base naturally through increased production, employment and commercial transactions rather than aggressive taxation of struggling residents. The proposal build on him earlier declaration say him administration go ‘open up the state for investors’ to boost economic activity and IGR instead of relying heavily on taxes on traders and artisans.
Him vow to abolish daily levies on wheelbarrow and truck pushers, akara sellers and other petty operators. Him describe such collections as counterproductive to wealth creation. Anosike don previously promise comprehensive review of Abia tax system, arguing say investment and expansion of state economic base suppose replace wetin him describe as excessive dependence on levies imposed on low-income residents.
Him wider economic programme also propose industrialisation, expansion of agriculture, SME financing and cooperative funding as vehicles for increasing production and creating taxable economic activity. Him don separately promise to establish three industries annually and Traders Microfinance Bank to provide revolving loans to traders and artisans through registered cooperatives.
Anosike maintain say Abia large commercial base, particularly for Aba, fit generate substantially more economic value if businesses supported to expand rather than burdened with taxes wey weaken their capacity to grow. Him link him revenue plan to greater financial autonomy at grassroots, promising say local governments go allowed to deploy their allocations directly to development under wetin him describe as him ‘Let Your Money Work For You’ policy.
According to am, increased economic activities for councils go create another layer of growth, employment and revenue rather than concentrating development for Aba and Umuahia. Anosike reject argument say him welfare commitments financially unrealistic, maintaining say increased federal allocations, stronger IGR and better exploitation of state economic assets fit provide funding. Him talk say revenue model go rest on one simple principle: expand economy first and allow government revenue to grow with it, rather than extracting more from citizens whose incomes never increase.
