2023 Guber: Mascot Uzor Kalu promises to change the trajectory of poverty, infrastructural decay in Abia 

The Abia state governorship candidate of the Action Peoples Party (APP), Chief Mascot Uzor Kalu, has reiterated his commitment to reinvigorate the massive development of the state.

 

This, he said, will engender hope in the citizenry who, according to him, have been shortchanged by past administrations through misgovernance. For the people of Abia, he lamented, it has been “a collasal failure in service delivery of democracy dividends.”

 

He noted that in spite of her enormous human and material resources, the state has been plagued by infrastructural decay, poverty stemming from huge outstanding wage bills, joblessness and restiveness, particularly, amongst the youths.

 

“We want to change things for the better and we’re coming with passion to work. Therefore, we will roll up sleeves from day one to rebuild the state,” Chief Kalu stated, adding that the mantra of his team is ‘Let’s make Abia Great Again.’

 

He made the remarks while speaking with a group of senior journalists and Editors during an interview last week.

 

Kalu, who was the Chief of Staff to former Governor Theodore Orji, said he was not coming to learn on the job but would get down to the real business of governance from day one by bringing his wealth of experience in both the public and private sectors to bear on the governance of the state.

 

“I will deploy all my energy, intellect, sagacity and emotional capacity to rebuild the state and rekindle hope in our people.

 

“We will pay premium to education by giving equal opportunities to the children of both the rich and the poor. We will provide free and compulsory education to primary and secondary school levels. We also intend to create 10,000 jobs each year and by so doing, address the restiveness amongst the youths.

 

“We will dedicate funding to build roads in both urban and rural areas, revamp moribund industries such Adalpalm, Umuahia Modern Ceramics, Abia Breweries and others.

 

“We intend to enter into Public Private Partnership (PPP) with multilateral agencies to create jobs particularly for our discontent youths who have been abandoned to their fate. We believe that when there are jobs are, it would have multiplier effect of income generation which would further boast tax, enhance revenue for government and ultimately accelerate growth and development.

 

“We will however be meticulous to address the issue of multiple taxation which has the bane of small and medium businesses in the state. For all intents and purposes, we will be conscious and deliberate to protect the poor hawkers and vendors who have been at the receiving end of government’s insensitivity in unleashing multiple taxes on such vulnerable classes of Abians.

 

“As much as possible, we will emphasize on corporate tax payment through innovative ways and global practices to boost state revenue. Through a strategic deployment of e-commerce and SMART governance, we will avoid leakages and multiple taxation and strive to grant tax relief to small businesses.

 

“Abia is our project. A better Abia is what we stand for. We will shift the paradym, change the narrative and be the path of sustainable growth and development.”