Follow Us on Google
From Tunde Omolehin, Sokoto
The All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto, said he would pay more attention to intelligence gathering with the view to put an end to banditry ravaging the state.
Ahmed stated this during the Governorship candidates debate organized by the Hausa service of Voice of America in collaboration with Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto.
According to him, intelligence gathering is key to achieving effective security anywhere in the world.
“The present administration doesn’t give intelligence gathering the attention it deserves as such could not make any meaningful development in curving banditry affecting some parts of the state,” Ahmed revealed
Ahmed added that if he is elected governor of the state, he will work hand in hand with security personnel, district and ward heads and other important segments in our rural areas to make intelligence gathering more effective.
“We will carry everyone along in securing the State because security is everybody’s business” Aliyu added.
He also promised to give the security agencies all the needed support and encouragement to discharge their constitutional mandate of protecting the lives and property of the citizenry.
Ahmed said, having served as commissioner under the Wamakko-led administration, he has the full knowledge of what Sokoto people are yearning for.
“I served as commissioner for social welfare before moving to health, So, I have an idea as to what our people want,” he revealed.”
These he said include the massive skills acquisition programme in which hundreds of youths and women were trained on different skills acquisition and supported with working tools and stipends to start up their businesses.
Others are the N6,500 monthly stipends to the physically challenged as a way of reducing street begging especially within the State capital.
“It’s disheartening to hear that the physically challenged are owing the State government close to one-year stipends,” Ahmed added
He further said, he was also instrumental in the establishment of Ramadan feeding centres introduced during wamakko’s administration which provided an opportunity for the have-nots to break their fast with ease.
Ahmed also said the neighbourhood initiative programme introduced during wamakko’s administration will be reintroduced with a view to creating job opportunities for teeming youths across the twenty-three local government areas of the state.
On the health sector, the APC candidate vowed to revamp the sector, especially at the primary healthcare level with a view to tackling minor health issues at the grassroots level.
He vowed to provide Health equipment, drugs and other necessary equipment needed to improve the health sector at the primary secondary and tertiary levels.
In the area of commerce and industries, the APC candidate pledged to look into the factories that have gone under with a view to reviving them.
He said if elected, his administration will work towards providing an enabling environment for industrialization in the state.
“Its painful when you go to Sokoto industrial layouts and see how many of our industries became shadows of themselves,” he said
“We will also support our traders in whatever way possible to boost trading activities if we are elected,” Ahmed revealed.
On water supply, the APC candidate said if elected his administration would improve the water supply to Sokoto and its environs. “We’ll devise another means through which we can get adequate water supply other than the source being used,” he added.
According to him, the Sokoto old water works needs to be upgraded for it to adequately cater for the water needs of people in the metropolis” Ahmed maintained
On education, Ahmed also promised to improve all the key components that guarantee quality education.
According to him, teaching and learning materials would be made available while a conductive learning environment will also be looked into.
He further promised to improve the living conditions of teachers, especially primary school teachers, for better and quality education.
On agriculture, the APC candidate assured farmers of a mechanized agricultural system to ensure food sufficiency.
He said his administration will engage the services of the department of agricultural science of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto to see how a fertilizer plant could be set up in the state.
