Abia students to get N100,000 annual bursary under my government — JOK

Michael Olumide

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant in Abia State, Chief John Okiyi-Kalu (JOK), has pledged to introduce an annual bursary of N100,000 for every Abia student in tertiary institutions if elected governor, saying the initiative forms part of his broader plan to improve education, empower youths and spread prosperity across the state.

Speaking shortly after successfully scaling through the PDP governorship screening exercise conducted by a committee led by former Kaduna State Governor, Ahmed Makarfi, Okiyi-Kalu described the process as smooth and in line with the standards expected from a major political party like the PDP.

He said it would be a great honour to contest the governorship election under a party he has remained loyal to since 1999, despite several political challenges and temptations to defect.

According to him, his vision for Abia goes beyond ordinary governance, stressing that his administration would focus on industrialisation, improved welfare, education, healthcare, agriculture, and innovation-driven development.

“I’ve come to spread prosperity people can see and feel. My interest is to completely industrialise Abia State and improve all facets of life through innovation,” he said.

Okiyi-Kalu also took a swipe at the current administration in the state, alleging that most of its achievements were exaggerated through propaganda.

“What we have now is a government of 90 per cent propaganda and 10 per cent substance,” he alleged.

He questioned claims surrounding the construction of smart schools, rail infrastructure and flyovers in the state, insisting that many of the projects being publicised do not reflect realities on the ground.

“He tells you that he built 51 smart schools and spent N54 billion, but they do not exist anywhere in Abia State. He tells you he has a rail station, but there is none. He tells people that he built a flyover, but he built none,” he claimed.

The former commissioner also dismissed claims linking the current administration to the remodelling of Ariaria International Market in Aba, insisting that he handled the project during his tenure as Commissioner for Trade and Investment.

While reacting to public perceptions about governance, Okiyi-Kalu said he was not interested in amassing wealth through public office, describing corruption and greed as major setbacks to development in Nigeria.

“Ask my people; I served in government for eight years and came out poorer. I have been probed repeatedly by different agencies without fault. It is a capital sin to steal from the people in to become wealthy,” he stated.

He unveiled several welfare-focused policies he intends to implement if elected governor, including an annual bursary of N100,000 for every Abia student in tertiary institutions.

He also promised to sponsor at least 100 Abians abroad yearly for academic purposes, while pledging to improve workers’ welfare by ensuring that the least-paid civil servant earns a minimum of N120,000 after tax, alongside regular promotions and allowances.

“I’m interested in building more industries, especially in garment and shoe clusters, to create employment opportunities for young Abians,” he added.

On infrastructure, Okiyi-Kalu said governance should not be reduced to road construction alone, arguing that roads are basic responsibilities of government and do not necessarily reflect innovation.

“Road construction is elementary because it only involves signing contracts for others to execute. Of course, I’ll build roads and flyovers where necessary,” he said.

He identified areas such as Waterside Ogbor-Hill in Aba, Isi Gate in Umuahia and Ugwu Enuda in Abiriba as locations where flyovers and road infrastructure would be prioritised under his administration.

Speaking on agriculture, Okiyi-Kalu said Abia possesses the capacity to become a leading palm-producing state in Africa.

He noted that his administration would focus heavily on palm cultivation and processing, insisting that the state could outperform countries like Malaysia in palm production.

“We shall put special focus on palm trees so much that people will want to rename Abia Palm State,” he declared.

The PDP stalwart also promised massive reforms in education and healthcare, lamenting the poor state of public schools across the state.

According to him, his administration would begin by securing public schools through fencing, provision of residential quarters for teachers and deployment of permanent security personnel to protect facilities and learning equipment.

“Without securing the schools, you cannot deploy meaningful learning equipment, and our beloved children won’t be safe,” he said.

He further stated that every senatorial district in the state would have at least two tertiary health institutions linked to primary healthcare centres through telemetry systems to improve healthcare delivery.

Okiyi-Kalu maintained that Abia has some of the brightest minds in Africa and can regain its educational excellence with proper leadership and prudent management of public funds.

“Smart School will be a joke compared to what we are coming up with,” he declared, adding that his dream is to build a world-class educational system capable of competing globally.