From Joseph Apeh, Yola
The governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Adamawa State, Hon. Christopher Nathaniel, has promised to establish a robust mechanism to tackle insecurity in the state if elected.
Nathaniel, who spoke with journalists in Yola at the weekend, said addressing insecurity would be central to his administration, adding that he would put in place a system capable of monitoring and responding to security challenges across the 21 local government areas.
The SDP candidate also unveiled his plans for agriculture, education, healthcare, transportation, electricity and media development.
He described agriculture as a major tool for poverty reduction, saying greater investment in the sector would create economic opportunities and improve livelihoods.
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On media development, Nathaniel described the media as the “fourth realm” of government, lamenting that journalists in the state have been relegated and lack resources to effectively perform their watchdog role.
He promised that if elected, his administration would provide adequate support to the media, including monthly funding from security votes, to enable journalists access timely information and effectively report government programmes and policies.
According to him, government should not wait for the media to seek information but should proactively provide journalists with necessary information to keep the public properly informed.
On education, the SDP flagbearer lauded Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, for constructing modern schools across the 21 local government areas, but pledged to improve on them by converting the schools to boarding facilities, recruiting more teachers and equipping them with necessary learning materials.
He also promised free healthcare services for pregnant women in public hospitals, saying no expectant mother should be denied access to healthcare due to inability to pay hospital bills.
Nathaniel further promised to address transportation challenges through the introduction of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) powered vehicles and tricycles, which he said would ease transportation costs for residents and generate additional revenue for the state.
He added that his administration would explore the state’s water resources, including Kiri Dam and other dams, to generate electricity locally and reduce dependence on external power supply.
He said his agenda is aimed at building a new Adamawa through poverty reduction, tackling insecurity, improving education and healthcare, developing transportation infrastructure and strengthening the media to hold government accountable.
