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| Uche Nnaji |
Uche Nnaji, an All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for governor in Enugu State, has pledged to abolish several taxes if elected.
Mr. Nnaji said that the state's businesses were being hampered by a variety of taxes at a town hall meeting with the business community on Friday in Enugu.
Mr. Nnaji claimed that his motivation for running for governor was the need to restore Enugu to its former glory as the third-best state in the nation.
He pointed out that over the years, poor governance had resulted in funds being plundered, which had led to underdevelopment.
In order to communicate with the electorate and determine their needs, he claimed to have travelled to 500 churches and more than 400 villages in the state.
The governorship candidate urged the organised private sector to support him to ensure that multiple taxations became a thing of the past.
He also decried that the unemployment rate in Enugu stood at 53 per cent, while underemployment stood at about 21 per cent.
He said he would focus on agriculture-based industries, massive structural transformation, and the establishment of a development bank among other novelties.
“I will dedicate 10,000 hectares of land for unemployed youths and give them start-up grants to begin their own businesses. If I emerge as governor of Enugu State, I will bring water scarcity to an end,” he said.
Mr Nnaji thanked the Enugu Chamber of Commerce Industry Mines and Agriculture (ECCIMA), organiser of the town hall meeting, for the privilege to speak with the Enugu business community.
In his remarks, President of ECCIMA, Jasper Nduagwuike, said the town hall meeting afforded the APC gubernatorial candidate an opportunity to interact with business owners and with professional groups.
Mr Nduagwuike noted that the engagement would allay the fears of the business community on how the candidate would address its concerns if elected.
He appealed to Mr Nnaji to ensure a turnaround in the ease of doing business in Enugu, saying it had not been rosy.
Chairman of the event, Ugo Chima, commended the candidate for interacting with business owners and professional groups, and urged him to sustain the engagement when elected.
He asked Mr Nnaji to partner with the organised private sector, including business owners, considering their roles in economic development and in job creation.
(NAN)