THE preponderance of out-of-school children in Kebbi state was a source of concern that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar addressed today at the party’s ongoing nationwide electioneering campaign tour.
Alhaji Abubakar told a large gathering of party supporters in Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi state capital, on Saturday that this problem will be part of many that his administration will tackle headlong once he is voted into office.
He said the large number of out of school children in the state is a huge source of concern to the PDP, asserting that as part of his youth empowerment program for Kebbi State, he will, as President, “ensure that the incoming State Government declares a state of emergency on primary and secondary education in the State.”
He said he is aware, contrary to claims by the incumbent All Progressives Congress (APC) led government in the state, that the primary and secondary school educational system in the state is at its lowest ebb now due to neglect.
On water management, Atiku who commiserated with people of the state for the floods that devastated the state capital, Jega, Shanga, Koko, Ngaski and other locations late last year, pledged “to reinvigorate the Goronyo dam to enhance the livelihood of the people of the state,” who rely on it for irrigation and development.
According to him, statistics indicate that Goronyo dam has shrunken from its 976 million cubic metres capacity 31 years ago to about 97.6 million cubic metres capacity today “on account of neglect and mismanagement.”
He promised to build world class rice mills to end the current situation of processing rice in the state and other parts of the country
Noting the disturbing spate of banditry and kidnappings, in the recent past, in the southern axis of the state, Alhaji Abubakar assured the people of the state of his political will to address the situation using whatever instrument of State at his disposal , if elected President.
He said his administration will give attention to community policing and consider enhanced roles for traditional institutions to end the current neglect and mismanagement of the security sector by the APC government.
He reiterated his commitment to sourcing $10 billion to empower the most vulnerable in society by
providing enabling environment for employment and fulfilment to youth and women through education, mentorship, vocational training and technology and entrepreneurship initiatives.
In his address, the Director General of Atiku-Okowa Presidential Campaign Organization, Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto state asserted that the PDP is poised to take over Nigeria’s leadership and that of Kebbi state.
According to him, “nobody in Kebbi state will ever vote for APC again. God willing, a vote for PDP will engender security, development, progress, peace, economic prosperity, educational and agricultural development.”
He also urged all eligible voters in the state and nationwide to use their PVCs to vote for the PDP at all levels in the upcoming polls.