UPP governorship candidate pledges to create 17,000 jobs in Enugu annually

The governorship candidate of the United Progressive Party (UPP) in Enugu State, Mr Ekene Uzodinma, has said that he will create 17,000 jobs through investment in the agriculture sector in the state every year, if elected governor in next year’s election.

Uzodinma in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu said, “I have plans to kick-start agricultural revolution by cultivating 3,400 acres of farmland yearly, if elected.”

He said that this innovative thought-out plan, among others, had particularly propelled his ambition to serve the people of the state as their governor come 2019.

The governorship candidate said that when he is elected and inaugurated; his administration would acquire 200 acres of arable land in each of the 17 council areas in the state for the agriculture-based job creation scheme.

“The 3,400 acres acquired from the 17 council acres would be given to 3,400 persons, mostly youths, at the ratio of one person per one acre of farmland for a period of a year.

“Each of the beneficiary farmers is, in turn, expected to employ at least four persons to work with him in the farm. Thus, this will make them employers of labour as well.

“At the end, we would have created employment for 17,000 persons for a start,” he added.

Uzodinma, who is also a large-scale farmer in the state, said that the state government would facilitate the provision of soft loans to the beneficiary farmers as start-up funds.

“We are also going to partner with the Federal Government, commercial banks, the Central Bank of Nigeria and other agencies as well as international organisations in the implementation of the agricultural project.

“Financial institutions and other government agencies would be mobilised to stand as off-takers, so as to assure the beneficiary farmers that their produce would be bought at good market prices.

“The off-takers would ensure that the farmers continue with the project; while a new set of 17,000 persons would be enrolled for the programme in the coming year,’’ he said.

Uzodinma said that the farmers would not only grow crops for the local market, they would also be mobilised to engage in the cultivation of export crops, while the state government and off-takers would be involved in crop processing and packaging.

“The state government and the off-takers will arrange for foreign markets and freight for the processed and packaged produce,’’ he said.

He stressed that after four years of the project implementation, the issues of joblessness and people roaming the streets aimlessly would have been tackled to a large extent.

“In the end, foodstuffs will become cheaper and more affordable for all the people of the state, regardless of their level of income,’’ he added.