Sen. Rabiu Kwankwaso, the Presidential Candidate of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) has promised to tackle unemployment, insecurity and brain drain in the health sector, if elected.
Kwankwaso made the promise during a Presidential Debate organized by the Nigerian Electoral Debate Group (NEDG) in collaboration with the Broadcasting Organization of Nigeria (BON) in Abuja on Sunday.
Kwankwaso said that if elected, his government would adopt two approaches, including the direct employment of more people in the public service namely Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) as well as security agencies.
Kwankwaso said the government will also create an enabling environment for affordable and reliable electricity, transport infrastructure for Nigerians to create businesses for young men and women to get jobs.
Asked how he would fund more manpower in the civil service, Kwankwaso said Nigerians have the necessary resources, adding that all they need is to block all leakages and waste in the system.
“In 1999 when I was elected governor of Kano and took the oath, my debts piled up, within four years I was able to pay them off.
“For those four years, he did not borrow a kobo. We do a lot of projects or programs in the education, agriculture and health sectors.
“We electrified more than 400 towns and villages. In fact, when we left government, even when I came back, eight years later I could only do a little because most, if not all the towns and villages in Kano were electrified,” said Kwankwaso.
He said that when he was the governor of Kano State, he not only provided infrastructure for the state but also paid off the state’s debt.
“I can say that in our government, the eight years I was governor, there was no security vote. I did not take one Naira for anything.
“All areas of waste from family to friends, to this and this, we stop. Projects and programs, as an engineer myself, I examine every document to ensure value for money.
On agriculture, Kwankwaso said his government would support farmers who make up 70 percent of the population.
He said his government would also address the insecurity that prevents farmers from going to their farms.
He said his government would provide the necessary support to the military, as it did when he was the defense minister.
“I can say that when I was minister, we did everything we could for our servicemen and women in terms of welfare, equipment, training and retraining, etc.
“We provide the military from second lieutenant to the highest four-star general, vehicles, at subsidized prices and other ranks, motorcycles.”
On health, Kwankwaso said health insurance is very important and the government should consider it as a way out.
“We must be empowered to ensure that people, as many as possible in this country benefit from a modern health system.
“We will do it and we will encourage the private sector. Create a conducive atmosphere with all kinds of encouragement to ensure that they participate.
“We must see more teaching hospitals for the private sector, another bottleneck created by our professional bodies, which must be removed.
“Today I am not sure if there is a university teaching hospital for up to 200 medical students. There is none. What we will do is open it,” Kwankwaso said.
He said that the government will review all necessary laws and Acts to make more private investment into the health sector.
He added that if elected, he also plans to address the brain drain challenge by producing enough health experts to meet the needs of Nigeria.
On economic diplomacy, Kwankwaso said he would work with other international communities to develop the country.
He said his administration will do whatever it takes to protect Nigeria and Nigerians’ interests, both within and outside the country.
“We are very fortunate that the international community is interested in the peace and development of this country. For whatever reason, it suits them.
In his plan for good governance, Kwankwaso said in his administration, everyone will be brought in when the right people will be given the right jobs.
He is confident that he will win the upcoming presidential election, saying that those who participate in the polls should be warned because it is dangerous for the country and democracy.