By Mark Chukwu, Umuahia
The Abia State governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bar. Dr. Kelechi Anosike, has pledged to eradicate what he described as “inhumanity to man” in the state, particularly through policies that place excessive financial burdens on poor residents and petty traders.
Anosike made the declaration during a media interaction with Ohuhu media practitioners at the PDP Secretariat opposite the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), along Aba Road, Umuahia.
The PDP candidate said his administration, if elected, would prioritise policies that restore hope to the less privileged and create opportunities for young people across Abia State.
Speaking on his campaign agenda, Anosike criticised the practice of imposing daily levies on petty traders and low-income workers whose businesses were established through personal savings or borrowed funds.
He cited the example of women selling groundnuts, akara and other small items by the roadside, arguing that it was unfair for such individuals to be subjected to daily taxation when they received little or no direct support from government.
According to him, taxation should be structured in a way that considers the circumstances of the people and should not become an additional burden on those struggling to survive.
Anosike also mentioned the case of truck pushers and other informal workers in Aba who use their own resources and physical strength to provide services to traders, yet are still required to pay daily tickets.
He described such practices as unacceptable, stressing that his administration would review and abolish what he considers excessive or insensitive levies imposed on poor residents.
“We can tax the rich and service the poor,” Anosike said, emphasising his intention to adopt a more people-centred approach to governance.
The PDP governorship candidate also outlined plans for the establishment of what he called a Trust Hospital, with its headquarters proposed for Ohuhu.
He explained that the hospital would be designed as a major healthcare facility capable of providing accessible medical services while also stimulating development in the area.
Anosike said his proposed healthcare model would incorporate an insurance-based arrangement in which residents contribute to a scheme, while government provides substantial support for beneficiaries who cannot afford the full cost of treatment.
Under the proposed arrangement, he said some beneficiaries could pay 40 percent of their medical bills while the government would subsidise the remaining 60 percent.
He further argued that deliberate government planning and the development of new layouts could stimulate infrastructure, housing and economic growth across the state.
Speaking about the challenges facing Abia residents, Anosike noted that rising house rents in Umuahia and Aba had become a source of concern for many residents. He said his administration would pursue policies aimed at improving living conditions and expanding economic opportunities.
The former Nigerian ambassador to Argentina and other countries, Ambassador Empire Kanu, who also spoke during the engagement, described the current PDP structure as a “new, rebranded PDP.”
Kanu said the party had repositioned itself and was presenting a renewed vision for Abia State.
Anosike also referenced a conversation he said he had with former Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, concerning the aspiration of Ohuhu to produce a governor of the state.
According to him, his political vision goes beyond the development of a particular community, stressing that his ambition is to revive and transform the entire state.
He criticised what he described as a recurring pattern in previous political campaigns, where promises often focus on road construction, youth empowerment and the distribution of tricycles or motorcycles without sufficiently addressing the deeper economic challenges confronting residents.
On youth unemployment, Anosike said some parents had expressed disappointment that after sponsoring their children through university education, many graduates still struggle to find meaningful employment and are eventually forced into commercial tricycle or motorcycle operations.
He said his administration would seek to create a broad range of businesses, skills and economic opportunities capable of absorbing young people across the state.
Anosike maintained that government must ultimately serve the people, insisting that public policies should be guided by human welfare, fairness and economic realities.
He said his proposed administration would focus on creating opportunities rather than placing additional burdens on vulnerable residents.
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The PDP governorship candidate concluded that Abia needs a development strategy that combines infrastructure, healthcare, employment creation and economic empowerment to improve the lives of ordinary citizens.
