From Victor Nwegede, Abakaliki
One of the frontline Gubernatorial Aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC in Ebonyi State, Arc Dr Edward Nkwegu has vowed to embark on massive job creation, maintaining that he would employ over 250,000 jobless Ebonyians within 2years in office if he emerged governor in 2023.
Arc Dr Edward Nkwegu, Ebonyi APC Governorship Aspirant.
Arc Nkwegu who made this pledge on Easter Monday in Abakaliki while interacting with journalists assured of creating massive employment through micro small and medium enterprises if Ebonyi people employ him as their Chief Servant of the State.
His words: "If Ebonyi people employ me as their Chief servant, I'm going to create massive indirect employment through micro small and medium enterprises.
"I'm going to create 13,000 micro small and medium enterprises in two years, and that will create about 250,000 indirect employment and it will take care of our unemployed youths in Ebonyi State."
The governorship hopeful expressed confidence that his wealth of knowledge as an industrialist would bring in the economic revolution through industrialisation to guarantee massive wealth creation in Ebonyi.
He urged Ebonyi people to continue to "trust God," insisting that his agenda to create massive job opportunities, among other plans would work out to take care of unemployed youths in the state.
He described micro small and medium enterprises as the engine room of every economy and the greatest employer of labour in the whole world.
He further stated, "in 2years, I will create or incubate micro-enterprises by 8,000, I will create 4,000 small enterprises, and I will create 1,000 medium enterprises."
Nkwegu explained: "A micro-enterprise is an enterprise that can employ one employee to nine employees, while a small enterprise is an enterprise that employs between ten employees to 49 employees, and a medium enterprise is an enterprise that employs between 50 employees to 249 employees.
"So, if I create 13,000: 8,000, 4,000 and 1,000, and take the average, I will create indirect employment of about 250, 000, that will take care of our unemployed youths.
"I will do that through agriculture, mineral deposits we have in the state, by processing them to create a value chain and I will do that through water reticulation.
"I believe it is going to work out if all things are equal and God on our side, we are going to turn around the situation in Ebonyi State because unemployment is very high and we can turn it around."
Arc Nkwegu also supported the idea of sustaining a zoning system in Ebonyi especially the governorship seat, saying that it has favoured the state.
"I do think that it is right and just that the governorship position should be zoned to Ebonyi North Senatorial District. It started from the North and moved to the Central before the south took over. So, I believe that it should come back to the Ebonyi North Senatorial District, where it started.
"In Ebonyi State, God has used his hand to shape the zoning system. If you recall the first Executive Governor of the state in 1999 was from Ebonyi North Senatorial District, he was re-elected for the second time, and in 2007 the second Executive Governor came from Ebonyi Central Senatorial District, Chief Martin Elechi was also re-elected for a second term, now the governorship seat moved to the South, the present governor, Engr David Umahi was re-elected for the second time. So, it means that most people are appreciating the zoning system since it has favoured the state."
He expressed his preparedness to succeed Governor Umahi and remarked that "individual freedom of expression is allowed, but we are talking about the Governor of Ebonyi State and not the governor of one group or the other, it's not the governor of Izhi people, whether endorsement or not, the masses will speak, by showing the person they prefer as their candidate.
"The entire electorate from Ebonyi State will choose the person they want to be their governor. It's not a matter of one person or traditional rulers, waking up and saying they are free to express their opinion, that is not the entire opinion of Ebonyi people," he said.
The governor hopeful used the opportunity to felicitate with the people of Ebonyi State, South East region and Nigeria at large as the Christians were celebrating Easter, urging them to observe the event with love, sacrifice and compassion.
