Olabode Adaramola
A Governorship aspirant on the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Niger State, Prof Mohammad Kuta Yahaya, has said that his administration will give prority attention to human capital development when elected as a governor the forthcoming 2023 Gubernatorial election in the state.
Speaking at an interactive session with members of the state Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) on Wednesday at IBB Pen House Minna, Prof. Yahaya promised to constitute an inclusive government.
The governship aspirant who was a former Secretary to Niger State Government as well as Commissioner of Agriculture and Rural Devrlopment, stated that in order to actualise this feat, his administration will embark on talent hunt as well as training and retraining of civil servants in the state whom he described as engine room of development and growth.
According to him, development of human capital was paramount and necessary to enhance efficiency and productivity in the civil service.
Professor Yahaya, a techonract, explained further that if he was given a mandate to pilot the affairs of the state, his government will also focus on how to transform the state civil service for better service delivery with the view to enable the core civil servants to become self- employed on retirement.
The APC governorship aspirant stated poke further stated also that he will tackle the prevailing security challenges confronting the state, using his wealth of experience when he served as chairman of state security committee during Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu’s administration.
Professor Kuta Yahaya who earlier described the media as the ultimate umpire that ensure justice and fairness, said that importance of the media cannot be overemphasized hence the need to meet with the media in the state to inform them of his aspiration.
While recalling some of his activities embarked upon towards the development of the state, he informed journalists that he was among those behind the establishment of IBB University, attracted RAMP and FADAMA among others, to Niger state.
He said further that the state government under his leadership has plans to make use of 76,000 hectares of land for agricultural transformation, through mechanised farming for commercial purposes as a way of creating employment and revenue generation for government.
He added that by so doing, it will reduce dependency on federal government’s monthly allocation to run government activities.
The aspirant also remarked that the endowed natural resources yetbto tapped in the state will receive attention by his administration, as well as Qualitative health care delivery system and education among others.
Earlier in his welcome address, NUJ Chairman, Comrade Abu Nmodu, called on political parties to give a level playing field to all aspirants and not to show favoritism towards any particular individual contesting for any office.