Bassey Otu, the All Progressive Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Cross River, has promised to create an out-of-school agency in the state if elected as the governor.

While unveiling his manifesto in the capital Calabar, Mr Otu said the decision to create the agency if elected was due to the prevalence of out-of-school children in the state and the country.

“In view of the high incidence of the out-of-school population in the state and the country, we plan to create an out-of-school agency,” he said.

Mr Otu said the agency will partner with the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs on the needs of individuals in such a category.

“Under this agency, all school drop-outs, even the uneducated and illiterate, as well as unemployed school leavers of all shades will be given the kind of education appropriate for their needs.

“Many of these will be trained to become employers of labour, thereby increasing their functional contribution to the state,” he said.

On infrastructure, he promised to construct and rehabilitate rural roads to promote the state economy.

He also promised that Cross River would be the leading state in the provision of safe drinking water through the implementation of the State Water Supply and Sanitation Policy.

“We will strengthen and reposition the Cross River Water Board to provide a clean, safe and constant water supply across the state.

“We will attract national and international water and sanitation programs to the state and ensure that portable water scarcity becomes a thing of the past in Cross River,” he said.

The APC candidate assured the people of Cross River that if elected, his administration would prioritise healthcare, agriculture, transportation, education, environmental sustainability, and human capacity development, among others. 

(NAN)