Ogun PDP candidate, Isiaka pledges 500,000 jobs

OGUN State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Prince Gboyega Nasir Isiaka has promised to create 500,000 jobs within four years, if elected into office.

   He also pledged to return missionary schools to their original owners to improve standard of education and reduce the burden of the state.

     Speaking in Abeokuta at a gubernatorial debate organised by the State Chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Isiaka blamed the Ibikunle-Amosun led government for reversing the policy of the last administration that had returned the schools to the Missionaries.

   Other candidates that participated at the debate included the Social Democratic Party (SDP) governorship hopeful, Senator Akin Odunsi, Dr Banjamin Onafadeji of the National Conscience Party (NCP), Prof. Olufemi Bamgbose, All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) and Reverend Olufolabi Adebayo of KOWA party.

    Amosun, who is the candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) was absent at the debate.

    The state chairman of CAN, Reverend Timothy Ajibola said the debate was organised for the candidates to interface with the Christian community so they could know the agenda of those seeking to govern them.

   He said though CAN was not partisan but the organisation is interested in who governs them.

     Responding to question from the coordinator of the programme, Mr Eddy Anina on whether he would return the missionary schools to their owners, Isiaka said, “I am part of government that returned missionary schools to their owners and we have not been convinced why this administration reversed the policy.

   “I attended a Mission school and we all know the importance of character moulding in building human capacity. To do this effectively, I will organise an education summit within one hundred days of office where part of the discussion will be modalities to return missionary schools, taking into consideration the interest of the teachers and students. It is our policy to ensure that no child in the state is denied access to quality education”.

    The PDP governorship hopeful who decried the parlous state of education in the state expressed regrets that secondary school students are just sitting for the first term examination because the state government could not meet its contractual agreement to the printers of examination papers.

     Addressing a large crowd of Christian community, Isiaka said he has mapped out a strategy of creating at least 125,000 jobs per year through various economic projects he would implement in the state.

    He said, “We are determined to create 500,000 jobs in four years and this is possible through our economic expansion project which include, development of Olokola Free Trade Zone, Cargo Airport, development of bitumen and exploration of oil at Tongeji Island, apart from our Agric project that will create thousands of jobs. 

   “What matters is sincerity on the part of government to do what is right and get its priority right. Our policies are centred on people and we are determined to make life more abundant.

    Odunsi, who also agreed to return schools to the missionaries disclosed that he attended CMS Grammar School in Lagos and he is still contributing to the development of the school wondered why Amosun denied missionaries from running their schools.