Unemployment, security threat, says Aspirant

From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

A Governorship aspirant in Kaduna State on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Salihu Mohammed Lukman has said the number of unemployed youth in Kaduna State is very high and constitutes a security threat if not addressed urgently.

He promised that as part of efforts to reduce to the barest minimum the rate of unemployment in the state, no fewer than 115,000 Peace Corps are to be established across the state if elected the governor of the state comes 2015.

 Alhaji Lukman who is the Director General of the Progressive Governor’s Forum (PGF) added that he will establish 5,000 Peace Corps in each of the 23 local government areas in the state.

 The gubernatorial  hopeful stated that  this is  part of his blueprints for the state during his consultation tour of the local governments ahead of the party’s primary in December, adding that only a united APC will defeat the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2015.

 He said, he decided to throw his hat into the race of governing his home state because the present leadership of the PDP has failed to deliver on its mandates and there is the dire need for urgent change to salvage the situation.

 This is just as he averred that only APC government will give that desired change and provide dividends of democracy to the good people of Kaduna State.

 He called on members of his party in the 23 local government areas to support him so that he can bring his wealth of experience to bear in providing good governance to the state.

 “It is obvious by every standard that the PDP has failed but for us in the APC to defeat them in the 2015 election, we must be united and focused or else it will be difficult for us.

 “APC no doubt is the best alternative but certainly not with a divided house, the leadership of the state as it is now has failed to bring all the stakeholders together in order to find a way of building the party, and this is very necessary if we must forge ahead and defeat the PDP.”

On his agenda for the state, he told supporters that, “The first is that we must approach the issue of unity in a more fundamental way because I believe we will not make a headway on anything if the  people of Kaduna state are not united.

“The other priority issue we must address is the issue of employment. Unemployment is so high now. Many of our youth graduate don’t have jobs. You must create a situation where you have employment targets across sectors, like agriculture, industry, public sector, education, health.

“I will also give priority to security, education, health, agriculture and urban renewal” he stressed.