The governorship candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Professor Abdumumin Ajia, has said his decision to step aside from academics and venture into public service was driven by his desire to contribute to rescuing Nigeria and building a safe, productive and prosperous Kwara State.
Ajia, a professor of Economics at a US university, stated this on Wednesday during the News Keg Engagement Series organised by the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Kwara State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Ilorin.
The NDC governorship candidate said his decision was also informed by the need to bridge the gap between government and the people by ensuring that citizens have easy access to basic services, know the official costs of government services and can hold public officials accountable.
He outlined a development agenda anchored on security, enterprise, education, infrastructure and healthcare.
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Ajia also promised to pay workers a N120,000 wage award if elected governor in 2027.
He said the proposed payment was part of his Workers and Working Families Compact, designed to improve workers’ welfare, salaries, promotions, working conditions and retirement benefits.
According to him, the proposed wage arrangement would be supported by payroll verification, costing of salary grades, consultations with organised labour and a credible funding timetable.
On security, Ajia described it as the foundation for economic productivity and the safety of residents, noting that a secure environment was essential for businesses and other productive activities to thrive.
Under his enterprise agenda, he promised to eliminate unnecessary paperwork, bureaucratic bottlenecks and other barriers affecting small businesses and artisans.
He also proposed reforms in land administration to simplify processes and improve access to land.
On education, the NDC governorship candidate said his priority would be to ensure that every child in Kwara attended school every school day, while improving teacher quality and recruitment across the state’s 16 local government areas.
He also proposed establishing clear minimum learning standards to improve educational outcomes.
On healthcare, Ajia proposed making primary healthcare centres functional, increasing the number of qualified medical personnel through competitive remuneration and working towards universal health insurance coverage.
He also emphasised public service reforms to reduce delays in government processes, particularly land title documentation, eliminate bureaucratic bottlenecks and ensure merit-based opportunities for young graduates and other citizens.
He said the proposed reforms would promote transparency, efficiency and responsive governance.
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