Ị̀ ga-ebuli ụgwọ ọnwa ndị nkuzi elu, ọ ga-ebutekwa tupu ma ọ bụ mgbe emechara ihe omume mmepe?

Q18: Transport fares are becoming unaffordable, while people in cities such as Lagos spend hours in traffic. What will you do to improve public transportation and reduce transport costs? Answer: My plan is to accelerate urban mass transit rail lines, expand Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) systems, develop inland waterway passenger ferries, and lower transport operational costs by subsidizing local fuel refining inputs. Q19: Communities are repeatedly promised roads and other infrastructure, but projects are abandoned or deteriorate shortly after construction. How will you improve project completion, quality and accountability? Answer: A $25 billion private-sector-led Infrastructure Development Fund will be created, enforcing mandatory third-party engineering audits and releasing funds based on verified milestones to stop project abandonment. Q20: How will you ensure that infrastructure investment reaches rural communities and is distributed fairly across Nigeria rather than concentrated in major cities? Answer: I will make sure the budget allocation model will use population and agricultural productivity benchmarks-rather than urban density alone-to guarantee equitable infrastructure funding across every geopolitical zone.

Answer: I propose aid distribution will shift to biometric e-wallet systems and direct digital disbursements, with independent civil society organizations monitoring the supply chain. Q29: Public schools in many communities lack enough qualified teachers, classrooms and learning resources. How will you improve the quality of basic education? Answer: My government will increase education's share of the national budget toward international benchmarks, reform UBEC fund matching, and enforce continuous teacher training tied to performance pay.

Answer: Public school infrastructure will be upgraded for disability access, provided with specialized learning tools (Braille, assistive devices), and staffed by trained special-education teachers. Q34: Many rural communities have no nearby hospital, while existing health centres lack doctors, medicines and equipment. How will you improve access to quality healthcare? Answer: My plan revitalizes at least one Primary Health Care (PHC) center per political ward, equipping them with essential medicines and solar power, backed by rural posting allowances for doctors and nurses. Q35: Healthcare and medicines are too expensive for many Nigerians. How will you make treatment and essential medicines affordable?

On this #WorldTeachersDay2023, let's recognise the urgent need to support and amplify the teacher workforce. Without them, our quest for knowledge remains incomplete. The teachers we need are the heart of the education we want. -AA

3. The finances required to bridge Nigeria’s infrastructure gap are in the region of US$100 billion per annum - over the next 30 years. Nigeria does not have the resources to provide all of its infrastructure needs without sacrificing investments in education, health, and other social services. It should be remembered that Nigeria struggles to budget no more than US$30 billion annually. For these reasons, I have been an ardent advocate of private sector presence in Nigeria. I have all along advocated for a private sector friendly business environment so we could leverage its enormous resources, including finance, skills, and technology. I doubt if the Abia state government would have been able to execute this mega project with the resources at its disposal. My policy document outlines how Nigeria could prioritize investments to increase the stock and improve the quality of economic and social infrastructure across the country. We believe that narrowing the enormous gap that exists between the demand and supply of key infrastructure facilities in Nigeria is key to improving the competitiveness of our businesses, opening new economic and entrepreneurial opportunities, and promoting enterprise growth.

5. Expand access to digital infrastructure. Digital infrastructure will be treated as a basic public service, enabling more Nigerians to participate in the modern economy, create jobs, and access opportunities. ● Expand internet access nationwide ● Introduce a Smart City Standards Policy, mandating fiber-readiness and digital security in all new developments 6. Make data affordable as a basic need for participation in today's economy. Treat access to data as essential infrastructure, ensuring that Nigerians can learn, work, and connect without being priced out of the digital economy. ● Work with telecom providers to reduce the cost of data through competition, pricing transparency, and regulatory reform ● Provide an enabling environment for internet infrastructure to lower costs and improve access across urban and rural areas 7. Prepare Nigerians for the age of AI. Anticipate the impact of artificial intelligence on jobs by equipping workers with new skills and putting protections in place for those at risk of displacement. ● Recognize AI-driven job disruption as a national economic and labour priority ● Launch large-scale reskilling and upskilling programmes focused on digital, technical, and future-ready skills