Onyemelukwe Begs Delegates For Votes, Promises SME Revolution In Anambra
Mrs Chidi Onyemelukwe, has appealed delegates to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primary election to vote for her to become the flagbearer of the party on June 26.
Onyemelukwe, the first daughter of Dr Alex Ekwueme, former vice president of Nigeria (1979-1983) made the appeal in a chat with newsmen in Awka on Wednesday.
She said if given the opportunity to serve Anambra as governor, she would lead the Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) revolution that would restore the state to its rightful status as the entrepreneurial capital of Nigeria.
Onyemelukwe said Nigeria had been unfair to the youths and has mortgaged their future as a result of which most of them now channelled their creative energies to destructive ventures.
She however said she had plans to reverse the ugly trend and champion youth emancipation in Anambra through job and wealth creation policies.
According to her, we need to broaden economic opportunities for our people, especially the youths, this, for me, is not a cliché. You may be aware that I served as a Special Assistant to the President on SMEs.
“As a Presidential Aide, I collaborated actively with other colleagues in conceiving, planning and formation of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN).
“So when I talk about job creation through SMEs, I am talking from the vantage point of experience.
“Thankfully, Anambra has a vast number of self-starters, the Organised Private Sector in Anambra is ranked in the top three nationally as the most vibrant, capitalised and intrusive.
“All the government needs to do is to implement sensible policies that will offer our people the needed support and the enabling environment to unleash their creativity and enterprise.
“Under my watch, neighborhood stores, small businesses and private services that support the housing, transport, health, food sectors and urban renewal will receive guaranteed state support through the Small Business Administration (SBA) Commission.
“The plans to do these have been perfected. All I ask now is for the opportunity to ignite the SME revolution our youths so desperately need,” she said.