AMAC Chairmanship aspirant promises Education, Health Care Delivery, Infrastructural devt

By Tom Okpe

Chairmanship aspirant in the Abuja Municipal Area Council, AMAC, election on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, said, if elected, his attention will be on education, health services and infrastructural development.

Sylvanus Tanko who spoke to newsmen shortly after returning his Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms at the Party National Secretariat, Buhari House on Wednesday, said it is worrisome that education has continued to take back seat in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, with primary schools closed, due to lingering strike by teachers.

“My objective is to bring hope and make AMAC great again. Today, lots of children are out of school, this is unacceptable. I will focus on education because without education, we cannot be where we are today.”

He however, blamed some Council Chairmen for the disconnection between them and the FCT administration, saying they don’t work hard enough to generate funds to run their Government.

“AMAC and the FCT are involved in the payment of salaries of teachers. The FCT is supposed to support the Area Councils in paying the teachers. I am also aware that there are some Area Councils that have failed to do what they are supposed to do to ensure that the salary of teachers is promptly paid. I will keep a good working relationship with the FCT Minister to ensure the prompt payment of the salary of teachers.

READ ALSO: Tinubu Hails Economic Reforms, Security Gains as Nigeria Marks Two Years of Renewed Hope

“AMAC and the FCT are involved in the payment of salaries of teachers. The FCT is supposed to support the Area Councils in paying the teachers. I am also aware that there are some Area Councils that have failed to do what they are supposed to do to ensure that the salary of teachers is promptly paid. I will keep a good working relationship with the FCT Minister to ensure the prompt payment of the salary of teachers.

Another key area is in human capital development number of our people. They have been deprived of knowledge for so long, I will focus on human capital development, skills acquisition, youth and women empowerment as well.

“Healthcare would be taken seriously. Today a lot of our health centers are in dilapidated conditions. Under our watch, these centers will not only be renovated, we will adequately equip to them to function effectively.

“Agriculture would be boosted to increase food security. We have looked away from agriculture and this has affected food security in the FCT. Today instead of being able to feed ourselves, we now rely on other states to meet our food security.”

Sylvanus also hinted of his determination to ensure accountability in governance adding that the people would be promptly kept informed with the policies of the government through town hall meetings.

“I will ensure establishment of feed back and accountability to the people with regular town hall meetings which will make it possible for the people to know what the government is doing and also for us to know what and how the people are feeling.”

The Chairmanship hopeful also said he would sensitize the communities on waste management and to train the people on management of waste and provision of all the needed equipment.