Alhaji Shuaib Yaman Abdullahi, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for governor in Kwara State's general election in 2023, has pledged to create 20,000 jobs through cotton cultivation if elected governor.
When Abdullahi appeared in the personality interview show titled "News Keg" at the Correspondents' Chapel of the state NUJ in Ilorin yesterday, he made the vow.
He promised that his administration would act differently to advance the state's growth.
Abdulahi, who said the axis of Baruten and Kaiama Local Government Areas of the state could boast of cotton production, added that the crop production business would be encouraged with the establishment of ginnery to create jobs in the textile sector without state government financial inputs.
The PDP standard bearer said nothing stops the country from exporting cotton which he said can be grown in the Baruten/Kaiama axis, adding that: “As a matter of fact, that area has same soil that can grow cotton, flower and many other products that can be exported.”
He said the plans he has for power generation would also make the cost of production of cotton to be competitive.
Abdulahi also said his administration would take advantage of natural resources in the state to stop what he called the rot among youths who he said are turning into political thugs.
The PDP governorship candidate, who said a good leader should be creative, imaginative and be a problem-solving personality, added that the state lacked good leadership.
He lamented the debt allegedly incurred by the present state government, saying Kwara State is currently indebted to about N110 billion with a monthly repayment of about N1.3 billion.
Abdulahi accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration in the state of poor performance, saying the achievements recorded were below the people’s expectations.