I‘ll Restore Kano’s Economy if Given the Mandate, PDP Guber Candidate Vows

Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano

The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kano State, Alhaji Muhammad Sadiq Wali, yesterday told journalists that if elected, his administration will use the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) policy to boost the economy of the state and restore the lost glory of Kano as the commercial nerve centre of the North.

Wali said: “Our team is prepared to build the economy. We believe in PPP policy. Kano is private sector-driven. Most of our citizens are very industrious, and we need to encourage them. All they need is support from the government.”

The governorship candidate told journalists in Kano yesterday at his residence that Kano State under his administration would become economically independent as his administration will have the mandate to encourage and promote small scale business men and local/indigenous industrialisation.

According to him, “This was how countries like China developed their economy. We will come up with policies that will promote local industries, and discourage those policies that close down our local industries.”

He also promised to encourage direct foreign investment to improve the state economic growth if elected.

Wali said he would use several years of his experience in the private sector to not only provide quality leadership for the people of Kano State, but also grow the economy through a reformed Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) system.

He said any government that has the development of the state at heart would prioritises infrastructural development in areas where commercial and business activities are booming, so as to make way for economic growth and increase the drive for revenue generation.

The PDP chieftain argued that the infrastructural facilities such as roads continue to dilapidate because of the increasing population in urban areas, adding: “We need to expand and build infrastructural facilities in local areas where you have competitive opportunities.”

The PDP gubernatorial candidate promised that his administration would ensure rural urbanisation so as to decongest increasing population in the city, and ensure even development by building required infrastructure and industries in local areas where raw materials and human resources are readily available.

He also mentioned part of his team’s agenda to include Social Service Reforms (SSR), pointing out that it is about re-orientation and re-focusing the mindset of the people, as “we are coming into government for implementation, sustainability and wealth creation.”

Wali also spoke about a nagging need for reforms in the state education system, among other sectors.

Responding to questions on how they are managing the internal crisis rocking the PDP in the state, the gubernatorial candidate, who did not deny the fact that there are issues to settle among stakeholders and members of the party, insisted that Kano State PDP has currently embraced the principles of justice and equity.