**Abia State PDP Governorship Candidate Dr. Kelechi Anosike Assures Citizens’ Welfare If Elected**
Dr. Kelechi Anosike, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate for Abia State, has reaffirmed his commitment to prioritizing the welfare of Abians if elected in the forthcoming gubernatorial election. Speaking during a courtesy to key notable monarchs in Umuahia on Sunday, Dr. Anosike outlined a people-centered agenda aimed at tackling unemployment, healthcare gaps, and economic stagnation across the state.
**Key Welfare Pillars in Dr. Anosike’s Manifesto:**
1. **Healthcare Revival**
Dr. Anosike pledged to overhaul primary healthcare centers in all 17 local government areas, ensuring 24-hour service, free maternal care, and subsidized drugs for senior citizens. “No Abian should travel to Enugu or Port Harcourt for basic medical attention,” he stated. He also announced plans for a state health insurance scheme that will cover artisans, traders, and low-income earners.
2. **Youth and Job Creation**
Addressing the high rate of youth unemployment, the PDP candidate promised to establish three new industrial clusters in Aba, Ohafia, and Ukwa West. Each cluster will focus on manufacturing, agribusiness, and ICT, with a target of 50,000 direct jobs in four years. He added that his administration will launch the *Abia Youth Enterprise Fund* to provide single-digit interest loans to young entrepreneurs.
3. **Civil Service and Pension Reforms**
“A government that owes workers cannot claim to care for welfare,” Dr. Anosike said. He committed to clearing all outstanding salary and pension arrears within his first 12 months in office and to automating payments to prevent future delays. He also promised a new minimum wage review committee to align workers’ earnings with current economic realities.
4. **Education and Social Protection**
On education, he vowed to reintroduce free primary and junior secondary education, rehabilitate 200 public schools, and recruit 5,000 teachers. For vulnerable groups, his blueprint includes monthly stipends for persons with disabilities, widows, and households below the poverty line, coordinated through a new *Abia Social Safety Net Agency*.
5. **Infrastructure for Economic Welfare**
Dr. Anosike tied welfare directly to infrastructure, promising to complete the Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene Road, revive the Ariaria International Market with 24-hour power, and invest in rural roads to help farmers move produce to market. “When roads work and power stays on, families earn more and live better,” he noted.
**A Call for Trust and Partnership**
Dr. Anosike urged Abians to hold him accountable, stating that his campaign is built on “competence, compassion, and character.” He emphasized that welfare will not be a campaign slogan but a measurable deliverable, with quarterly town halls to report progress.
“I am not running to occupy a seat; I am running to serve lives,” he concluded. “Together, we will build an Abia where government works for the people, and no citizen is left behind.”
The PDP candidate is expected to continue his statewide tour this week, meeting with trade unions, women, yourhs and student groups.
