The Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate in Abia State, Dr Kelechi Anosike, has promised to raise the minimum wage in the state to N90,000 and reinstate workers found to have been unlawfully retired if elected governor in 2027.
Anosike, who unveiled the proposals as part of his “welfarist philosophy” of governance, also pledged to review cases of public servants allegedly forced into retirement before attaining the statutory retirement age or completing the required years of service.
The PDP candidate stated this while addressing journalists at the Nigeria Union of Journalists Press Centre in Umuahia, stressing that his administration would place the welfare of workers and other residents at the centre of its policies.
He said workers whose premature retirement was established after due review would be recalled, while those who had subsequently attained the statutory retirement age or completed the required years of service would have their cases treated in accordance with the law.
“We will not shortchange the system, but the people must come first,” Anosike said.
On workers’ remuneration, he declared: “The least worker will get N90,000.”
The governorship hopeful said the additional revenue accruing to states following the removal of the petrol subsidy should be deployed to mitigate economic hardship and improve the welfare of citizens.
According to him, governments should convert part of the increased revenue into social protection programmes, productive investments and welfare interventions capable of cushioning the effects of the economic crisis on households.
“The balancing effect of subsidy removal is to use the increased revenue and create other subsidies for the people — social protection mechanisms, productive investments and welfare packages,” he said.
Anosike also promised to reform the state’s human-capital development strategy by ensuring that graduates of tertiary institutions acquire practical and vocational skills alongside academic qualifications.
He argued that the combination of academic knowledge and practical skills would improve the employability of young Abians and better position them to participate in the state’s economy.
The PDP candidate said his administration, if elected, would prioritise workers’ welfare, social protection, skills development and policies designed to ensure that public resources translate into tangible benefits for the people.
