By Okechukwu Onuegbu
Awka
The governorship candidate of Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) for Anambra State November 6 poll, Dr Obiora Okonkwo, Wednesday, assured that his administration, if elected, would effect changes to schools academic curriculum for enhancement of students skills and digital knowledge.
Okonkwo, who disclosed this during a town hall meeting with university community held at Nnamdi Azikiwe University auditorium, Awka, added that Anambra State born intelligentsia and academics would be duly engaged in his administration so as to easily build capacities of the populace.
" I am not on this race for state money. God has blessed me. With all sense of humility, I am here to make life better and easier for you students. We are going to institutionalize many things to help the state and federal government owned universities in the state to go higher.
"I will change academic curriculum of the state owned schools when I takeover to make it skill based, in compliance with digital world and innovations. We are coming in to prepare students to become workforce tomorrow. We will prepare their skills for exports and outsourcing. Anambra indigenes will be exported and outsourced overseas.
"Our people are going to dominate the digital technologies, digital industries, digital world. We will setup technology and industries parks at three zones; first time in Nigeria to set an example to other African countries. We will build infrastructure and allow our people to thrive. We are going to bring back our dear brother, Philip Emeagwari (the computer guru) and others to educate and expose our people to opportunities.
"There will be free education from primary to secondary school level under my watch. There are many people already under my Scholarship scheme. So, it won't be a new thing to me. You may be tempted to ask; where will I get the money to be used for all these projects? The money will come from corruption money they are not touching.
" I will close all the loopholes in our Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) windows. Poor people; okada and keke operators won't be taxed. No one would be intimidated to pay tax. We will create enabling environment for businesses, industries and companies to grow for us to generate more revenues and create more jobs," he further maintained.
Okonkwo, who is the Chairman and founder of United Nigerian Airline, also vowed to conduct Local Government election within 6 months in office, conduct employment exercise at the state and local government levels, among other things.
Earlier, the Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Professor Uche Nwogwugwu, who Chaired the occasion, commended Okonkwo for finding out time to visit and interact with university community, and assured that the citadel of learning would always welcome him.