Suyi Ayodele – Benin
The governorship candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Ray Kene Ogbodo, has promised to raise the minimum wage of workers in Enugu employ to N50,000.00 if elected in the forthcoming gubernatorial election.
Ogbodo said that his administration would embark on increase in salaries to reduce the current hardship workers are facing in the State.
The AAC flag-bearer, who spoke to journalists during his street-to-street campaign in Enugu on Wednesday, further said his five-point agenda would include: free healthcare, free education, good security, more prosperity and many opportunities.
According to him, he would spread the wealth of the state to create employment opportunities and reduce youth involvement in social vices.
“My administration will test the ground by reviewing the minimum wage to N50,000 and later N100,000 considering the hardship and challenges faced by people in the State.
“My party has five-point agenda that must be handled within the four years of my administration in Lion Building (Government House) In addition to healthcare, free education, good security, there will be provision of water to homes as well as a conducive environment for business opportunities,” he assured.
According to him health, education and water would be priority projects, pointing out that any society that has no good health and education programmes would find it difficult to develop.
“It is because of this reason that my administration will make education and health free in the State.
“I will not empower the youths but would also put them in a position to create jobs and become employers of labour,” he noted.
On perennial water scarcity in Enugu, he said it is not true that Enugu has no water, pointing out that the water scarcity experienced in Enugu was a result of the poor political will of the leadership to provide water to the people.
“Enugu has water in so many locations, clean water that could be worked on to reduce water scarcity in the State.
“If Enugu has no water where are the water tankers getting the water they supply to homes,” he said.
He also said that he would also work on security to ensure that enabling environment is created for investors to come into the State.
“We believe that when you spread the state wealth and tackle the issue of unemployment, health, education, and insecurity, restore hope. The crime rate would be reduced, carrying arms not minding the consequences will be reduced to the barest minimum.”
Responding to the position of his party in the last presidential election in the state, Ogbodo said that nobody should use the outcome of the presidential election in the state to judge the governorship and House of Assembly elections.
He said it is because most people and parties actually endorsed his Excellency Peter Obi, adding that governorship candidates like himself and many others voted for him.
“This governorship election is a different thing, it is where people would vote for the capacity of the individuals and not political parties. We want to take people out of poverty, so do not take the presidential election to judge any candidate in this election.”
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