By Steve Oko
UMUAHIA — The 2027 governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Abia State, Dr Kelechi Anosike, has promised to introduce a N90,000 minimum wage and review the cases of workers allegedly retired before attaining the statutory retirement age or years of service.
Anosike also pledged to ensure that graduates of tertiary institutions in the state acquire practical skills alongside academic qualifications if elected governor.
He made the promises while addressing journalists at the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Press Centre, Umuahia, saying his proposed administration would be guided by a “welfarist philosophy” with the people at the centre of governance.
The PDP candidate said workers who were disengaged before attaining the statutory retirement benchmarks would have their cases reviewed under his proposed administration.
He said affected workers who still met the conditions for reinstatement would be recalled, while those who had subsequently attained the retirement age or years of service would have their cases handled in accordance with the law.
“We will not shortchange the system, but the people must come first,” Anosike said.
He also promised to commence payment of a N90,000 minimum wage, arguing that workers should benefit from improved public revenue and policies aimed at cushioning economic hardship.
“The least worker will get N90,000,” he said.
Anosike said the removal of the petrol subsidy had increased revenues accruing to states, arguing that governments should channel part of the additional resources into social protection and welfare programmes.
“The balancing effect of subsidy removal is to use the increased revenue and create other subsidies for the people — social protection mechanisms, productive investments and welfare packages,” he said.
The PDP candidate promised targeted interventions in critical sectors, including healthcare and transportation, to reduce the economic burden on residents.
He proposed a healthcare arrangement under which government would subsidise a significant portion of medical bills for beneficiaries through a planned health insurance and hospital support system.
He also pledged to invest in affordable transportation, including support for mass transit initiatives.
Describing his political philosophy as “People First, Abia Always,” Anosike said the objective of government should be to improve citizens’ welfare while maintaining fiscal discipline.
He said the party would soon unveil its comprehensive manifesto outlining its programmes and policies ahead of the 2027 election.
“2027 should not be an election of slogans. It should be an election of plans, programmes, competence and measurable results that have the people at the centre,” he said.
No Abia student will graduate with certificate alone
Anosike also pledged to make skills acquisition a major component of his proposed education policy, under the “No Abia Student Left Behind” initiative.
He said the policy would focus on education, skills acquisition, healthcare, transportation and entrepreneurship.
“An education that opens doors, skills that create opportunities and a government that stands by the students — that is the agenda,” he said.
The PDP candidate said academic programmes should be complemented with practical vocational or entrepreneurial skills to enable graduates create opportunities for themselves rather than depend entirely on white-collar employment.
“Never again will any graduate finish with only certificates. You complete your certificate and then you have a skill or you have learnt a trade,” he said.
Anosike also promised to provide start-up support for graduates who acquire relevant skills while in school to enable them establish businesses.
He said government could not provide white-collar jobs for every graduate but could create an enabling environment for young people to become entrepreneurs and employers of labour.
The candidate further promised to improve medical facilities in tertiary institutions, saying students should have access to properly equipped healthcare centres, particularly in emergencies.
He said the proposed intervention would extend beyond state-owned institutions, adding that Abia indigenes studying in other tertiary institutions within the state would also benefit.
Anosike identified student transportation and healthcare as other key components of his proposed youth and education agenda.
“Government will invest in the youth and the students because students are Abia’s greatest assets,” he said.
He also disclosed plans to link entrepreneurship programmes with grants and cooperative financing to enable young people and small business owners access funds for productive ventures.
According to him, his proposed administration would establish a traders’ microfinance initiative to provide accessible financing to small and medium-scale businesses, subject to appropriate regulatory and operational frameworks.
Anosike said his broader objective was to build an economy that creates opportunities beyond government employment.
“How many white-collar jobs can government create? But we can create entrepreneurs, self-employed people and businesses,” he said.
Speaking earlier, his running mate, Abraham Amah, who accompanied him to the NUJ Press Centre, described Anosike as a man of vision who would transform Abia if given the opportunity.
Amah expressed optimism that the PDP would reclaim Abia State in 2027, saying the party had rebranded and was prepared to fix the state.
He solicited the support of Abia voters for the PDP in the 2027 election, saying the state would fare better under the party’s leadership.
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