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The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Abia State, Dr Kelechi Anosike, has promised to establish a microfinance bank for traders and build three industries annually if elected governor in 2027.
Anosike, who spoke during a consultation with members of the Old Bende Progressive Union in Aba, said the proposed traders’ microfinance bank would provide interest-free, collateral-free revolving loans to traders, artisans, and entrepreneurs. He said the bank, to be headquartered in Aba, would form part of his economic welfare policy and operate through registered cooperatives, trade unions, and community associations.
“I have come to make life better for Abians because people are suffering. Part of how we will do it is that we will establish what we call Traders’ Microfinance Bank, with headquarters in Aba. It will be collateral-free and interest-free. Several pressure groups, trade unions, and community association groups will register with the bank as cooperative societies. We call it cooperative economics for access to financing,” he said.
Anosike also pledged to establish three industries every year as part of efforts to create jobs and stem the migration of young people from the state. He accused the Labour Party-led administration of Governor Alex Otti of failing to establish industries capable of absorbing unemployed graduates, although he acknowledged the government’s interventions in road infrastructure.
“The incumbent government has spent three and a half years building no single industry. It is painful that after schooling, our youth remain unemployed and, at most, graduates will be ‘empowered’ with tricycles because of lack of job opportunities. It is not the best. It has triggered an exodus of our youths to other states and cities.
“If Kelechi Anosike emerges, we will build industries and create job opportunities for the youths,” he said.
The PDP candidate said he would also establish the Abia Labour Global Opportunities Agency to link young people in the state with employment opportunities abroad, including remote jobs.
“We will set up what we call the Abia Labour Global Opportunities Agency through which our youths will be connected to job opportunities abroad and they will be paid in dollars because our youths are very intelligent. Most jobs are virtual now and they will work with the internet,” he said.
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Anosike also restated his proposed Operation Feed Abia (OFA), a back-to-farm programme which he said would increase food production and reduce the cost of living.
“The present government has spent three years, we have not seen any progress in agriculture. That is why we are experiencing hardship. That is why we will come up with what we call Operation Feed Abia (OFA), a back-to-farm state policy.
“Everybody will have a farm, so that there will be enough food and the cost of living will be low. If you are having one square meal a day now, if I become governor, you will be eating three square meals a day, with something to chew in between because we will go into massive agriculture,” he said.
His campaign organisation said Anosike also proposed a health insurance programme under which registered beneficiaries would receive a 60 percent subsidy on healthcare costs. Anosike said his administration would combine infrastructure development with welfare programmes, arguing that Abia had sufficient resources to finance his proposals.
While acknowledging the Otti administration’s road projects, he contended that the level of infrastructure development was not commensurate with the revenue available to the state.
“We will build roads and build lives. We will perform better. Anosike g’eme karia (Anosike will do much more),” he said.
He urged members of the union to support PDP candidates in the 2027 elections.
Earlier, President of the Old Bende Progressive Union, DIG Azubuko Udah, welcomed Anosike, but stressed that the union was a socio-cultural organisation and remained apolitical.
