BY OUR CORRESPONDENT
The gubernatorial candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in Kaduna State, Senator Suleiman Othman Hunkuyi has assured workers in the state of a much better condition of service when he becomes governor in 2023, saying sacked workers would be recalled and all their entitlements paid.
Hunkuyi spoke in Kaduna at the one-day Partnership for Issues-Based Campaign in Nigeria (PICaN) supported by Partnership to Engage, Reform and Learn (PERL/FCDO) in collaboration with Legal Awareness for Nigeria Women (LANW) agenda-setting dialogue with the governorship candidates.
The gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC ), Senator Uba Sani and that of the PDP, Hon. Isa Ashru Kudan who featured via zoom were also. at the programme where they deliberated on their respective blueprints towards developmental commitments in key sectors.
Senator Uba Sani who said among others that he would continue with the good works of El-Rufai if elected governor; defended the huge debt profile in Kaduna saying there was nothing wrong with borrowing if the proceeds were channelled for infrastructural development.
Senator Hunkuyi explained that if elected Governor of the state in the 2023 general elections, he will clean up what he called “the Nasir el-Rufai led All Progressive Congress (APC) mess in the state.”
He told the gathering that would stop, review and come up with a supplementary budget that is visible and would meet the yearnings and aspirations of the good people of the State come 2023.
“I will review and reverse policies of Governor Nasir el-Rufai particularly those that are anti masses. Some of the issues that will get my immediate attention in terms of review and or reversal are but are not limited to, a comprehensive review of dismissed teachers, dismissed workers of the local government staff, and education and health workers. Issues of entitlements, issues of pensions, review the sacking of District Heads, review the sacking/retirements or entitlements of the permanent Secretaries, review the school feeding, reverse the school fees of the school owned universities, college of education and polytechnic among other policies.”
” If given the mandate to govern the state, I will review the good but badly implemented school feeding program, school fees palava, review and reversal of the draconian demolition of places of businesses and residences of Kaduna citizens and review or reversal of the illegal deduction of local government funds.”” I will also review and reset the KASTLEA laws, Keke NAPEP and other transport, parks and vehicular locations. Market policies and the 23 social government skills training outfits”.
The guber hopeful said no meaningful development can occur under the avoidable onslaught against innocent people not in rural and urban settings and on our roads, adding that as part of the measures he will take to address the security challenges is to ensure that there are adequate, well trained and equipped security personnel.
On education, he said infrastructure and equipment alongside personnel beef up will be given priority while attention would be given to dismissed teachers who are competent but otherwise maltreated.
On health sector, he said, he will adopt the 255 primary health Care system with more staffing, infrastructure, equipment, medicaments and logistics support while the secondary health care will also be given the required attention.
“I will also introduce various Agricultural support services and intervention measures such as the Agric cluster policies. Agric produce sales protection policies and laws and in collaboration with the Federal Government and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), United Nations and other bodies for funding farmers and introduction of cooperating bodies finances into Agriculture in the state,” he said.
Earlier in his remarks, StateTeam Lead PERL, Dr. Abel Adejor said the era has passed when a candidate will remain in his office and determine his manifesto.
“We will sit and look at issues here with the candidates and ensure we have issue-based campaigns,” he said.
He said the dialogue was the first of its kind, with Kaduna State blazing the trail.
“This has never happened in Kaduna State, these are issues that concern education, health and issues that are cross-cutting. I think other states will come to learn from Kaduna, FCDO is supporting Kaduna, Jigawa and Kano, but Kaduna has taken the lead,” he said.
“We are here on behalf of nine million Kaduna citizens and I am sure this will influence the decision of the electorate”.
Mr. Adejor said that what they are doing is issues-based campaign to see what the candidates have to offer.
Similarly, Hannatu Awan of Legal Awareness for Nigerian Women (LANW) appreciated the governorship candidates for their commitment to relating with the people.